


Mysteries

by CynthiaK2014



Series: Nancy Drew [2]
Category: Nancy Drew - Carolyn Keene
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-24
Updated: 2015-05-24
Packaged: 2018-04-01 00:31:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 10
Words: 35,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3999106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CynthiaK2014/pseuds/CynthiaK2014
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While traveling in England, our foursome comes upon a mystery from the past with implications for who they are today.  It's the 1950's, so Stonehenge is not cordoned off like it is today.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Ned  
************* 

It was a beautiful day to be walking along the Thames in London, heading for Blackwell's Bookstore. Nancy was walking up ahead with Carson and I could tell that something was wrong. George was striding along by me. "She's telling her dad that she knows about the two of you."

I froze and turned panicked eyes to hers. She smiled and shook her head. "Long story but we've both known since your graduation day."

I swallowed hard and started walking again. "Did she freak out?"

"A little." George grinned and stuck her hands in her jacket pockets. "I was able to get her calmed down and see that you two were in love . . . just like we are."

I finally chuckled out loud. "I suspected you were a good influence on her. Are you two happy?"

"Very," we exchanged smiles. "She calls me her rock in the storm. I like being that for her. Of course, she keeps me going with that combination of brains and beauty that make most of the boys in college pant. How about the two of you, are you happy?"

"Absolutely." I sighed and watched Nancy's hands move while she talked. Carson's shoulders had relaxed so she couldn't be hurting him with words. "He fills up all my empty spaces, takes me seriously and gives me a place to land. I guess he's my rock."

She chuckled and linked her arm with mine. "Good. Look, we both want the same things. She needs to know that she has a secure place in his heart and that you're not going to push her out. And you need to know that she doesn't hate either one of you and it's okay for you to love each other. Just like it's okay for her to love me."

"Of course, she has a place in both our hearts." I looked down into brown eyes that sparkled. "She's the sister I never had. But Carson has all of my heart and always will. It looks like I just gained another sister, George."

"Thanks, I appreciate that." She squeezed my arm. "Now before we get all mushy, I'm curious about a few things. Are Carson's nipples as sensitive as Nancy's are?"

I just about swallowed my tongue. "What?"

"Ned, we're all adults here. I'm just wondering if you've had as much luck with nipple clamps as I have." She smiled up at me while I tried to come to terms with her question.

Nipple clamps?

"Um, I've never heard of nipple clamps." I looked at her in time to catch a very self-satisfied grin.

"My Aunt Helen over in Paris has a few kinks that she's passed along to me. Not to mention the address of a sex toys store that stocks all kinds of fun items." George arched an eyebrow. "Interested?"

Carson does have very sensitive nipples, I thought to myself. What would nipple clamps do? Okay, I was curious. "All right, explain."

The next ten minutes ranked right up there with getting fucked for the first time, painful but with pleasure to come. I couldn't believe that I didn't know about some of this stuff. Some of it sounded painful but some sounded like fun. We got to Blackwell's and separated to look for different books. Carson cornered me in the back aisle on the third floor.

Before he could tell me, I pulled him close and kissed him hard. "I know. George told me that they've known for a couple of months. Are you okay?"

He nodded and hugged me tight. "I don't think I've ever been so scared in my life. She doesn't hate either of us. She and George are together."

His voice was hushed but I just smiled at him and smoothed my hands over his chest. "I know that, too. George was telling me a few things that sound pretty interesting. You want to skip the book buying and go back to the bed and breakfast so I can fill you in on some of the . . . intimate details?"

He chuckled and let his hand caress the rock hard erection trapped in my pants. "I was thinking more along the lines of the bathroom about two aisles over to which I just got the key."

"That's very forward thinking of you, Car. Let's go now." I tugged his hand and pulled him to the door of the 'loo', as the Brits so quaintly call it. Taking the key from his hand, I unlocked the door and pulled him inside with me. It was about five feet square, but clean both in looks and smell.

He was already unzipping my pants and going to his knees in front of me. I leaned against the wall and let him pleasure me with that hot mouth of his until I had to let go. Carson drank me down like I was his favorite ale and I went limp. He chuckled and stood up, turning me to the wall and whispering for me to get ready. Water ran in the sink for a moment then two cool, wet fingers slid inside of me. I quivered all over and rested my head on my folded arms against the wall. This was going to be good.

And without anymore preparation, he slid inside of me until his balls hit my ass. The burn was extreme but welcome. It reminded me of what George had said about a little bit of pain making the sex even better. Maybe she had a point but I'd have to think about that later, because right now, Carson was taking me hard, just the way I needed him.

I had to bite my hand when he came because it felt so good that I needed to groan. He buried his groan in my shoulder, biting hard enough that I felt it through my shirt. That felt good too and I decided to find out more about that pain/pleasure response thing. Later. Right now, I just wanted to enjoy it.

"My dearest love." Carson's whisper was right by my ear and I smiled at his endearment. "Are you all right? I was a little rough."

"Never too rough, Car. I love you." I turned my head and shared a kiss with him until my body forced him out. He cleaned me up carefully and tucked my half-hard cock back into my navy slacks.

"Tonight, I want us to celebrate no more secrets. All right with you?" He slid his arms around me and hugged me tight.

"Absolutely perfect, Car. Then we'll go back to the room and you can fuck me right through the mattress. Okay?" I grinned at him.

"Well, if you think we should?" He pretended to think about it until I attacked his ticklish sides with my fingers. "Absolutely, Ned, dine then fuck. I'll put it on my agenda."

We both smiled and he checked to see if the coast was clear before leaving the bathroom. I headed for the architecture books on fourth floor and discovered the erotica one aisle over. Trust the Brits to put those two completely divergent subjects side by side. I was grateful, however, so I didn't have to ask at the front desk. Actually, that was a good move on their part, it gave a cover to those who needed to be discrete.

One of the Kama Sutras caught my eye and I leafed through it while picturing Carson as one of the Indian Lords of Love. I was definitely feeling like his wanton love slave and one of the scenes started getting me hard again. A woman was being restrained by a large eunuch while her lord of the giant cock plundered her treasures. Something about that made my temperature rise until I had to close the book and put it in the pile with my books on European architecture.

Carson was so going to get loved tonight.

******   
Carson  
****** 

I browsed the mysteries and thought about Nancy's confession. She and George were together and they knew about us, about Ned and me. She seemed to be okay with that and I felt pounds lighter with the dreaded conversation out of the way. I'd reassured her of my love and she'd told me that she loved me, too. We hadn't said that in a while and it felt better than good to be saying it again.

When she went away to college, the distance seemed to grow greater than it should have. I was glad to have us back to our old relationship, although it wasn't exactly the same. She had grown up and moved on, soon she'd be off on her own with George. Moving into her own place or maybe even keeping the house in town while I moved out with Ned. I liked that idea a lot.

Smiling at the bookshelves, I settled in to pick up some good English mysteries, Dorothy Sayers, Manning Coles, Edmund Crispin, Cyril Hare, Agatha Christie, John Dickson Carr and last but not least Edgar Wallace. I had two rather large stacks by the time I'd gotten to the W's so I carried them down to the counter and went back to pick out some more. They had titles by Wallace that I'd never heard of before even though he'd been dead since 1931.

And I wanted to check on P.G. Wodehouse, too. I had a sneaking liking for the ridiculous Bertie and Jeeves, not to mention the whole Lord Emsworth series. I came across some of his young adult books and got interested in a series with a young man by the name of Psmith. They looked like fun so I added them to the pile. I was going to need another suitcase if I kept buying books.

Making my way carefully down the staircase, I found Ned waiting for me by the neatly wrapped stacks of my first selections. He was grinning and shaking his head when I appeared but he helped me unload my last choices onto the counter and told me the girls had left for Piccadilly Circus to do some Wedgwood shopping. I chuckled and handed over my American Express card for the books.

Ned told me quietly that he'd found something interesting next to the architecture books. The gleam in his eye told me that I'd enjoy it, what ever 'it' was. I could hardly wait. Four full shopping bags were filled to the brim and once outside the bookstore, I hailed a taxi to take us back to the bed and breakfast. The manager was pleased to see us and he escorted us to the tiny elevator, which barely held two people. 

I took the bags in with me and Ned told me that he'd meet me at the top. It creaked and groaned all the way up to the fifth floor and sure enough he was there to take back his share of the bags. He had his key out and the door open by the time I got there. I had the feeling that he was in a hurry. Once the door was shut behind us, he tackled me to the bed almost before I could set the bags down. 

"God, Carson, I want you again." He kissed me passionately as if I hadn't already taken him three times today all ready.

I chuckled and rolled him beneath me while kissing him back. He was my magic elixir of youth and I drank from his fountain like the water I needed to survive. It seemed to take forever to get us out of our clothes but finally . . . finally I had him naked beneath me with my fingers testing his heat while he shook at my touch. I was the luckiest man in the world to have such a sensitive lover.

Sliding into his heat was like coming home for me. He moaned and came almost at once while I held on through his spasms until he was limp. Then I began the gentle rocking that warmed us both, body and soul. He sighed and flexed around me, almost but not quite getting hard again. I took him slowly but surely until I could hold out no longer, flooding him with my seed.

I sighed his name and rolled us to our sides so his legs didn't cramp. He kissed me sweetly while I shrank and left his hot channel. We both groaned when that happened. Holding him never palls so we lay there, in each other's arms while we talked softly about our car trip the next day to the Salisbury Plains. We'd be staying in Salisbury for a couple of days while we took in the sights.

Ned wanted to see Stonehenge and so did I. The girls had agreed since Nancy had a pen pal in Salisbury who they wanted to visit. "Ned, do you think that Nancy really understands about us?"

He chuckled and pulled back far enough to look into my face, his green eyes sparkling. "Yep, I think she's pretty clear on it and so is George. When are we meeting for dinner?"

"At six we'll meet down stairs to walk to Simpsons. I wonder what we could do until then?" I smiled at him and watched his eyes light up.

"We'll come up with something." He gloved my cock and I felt it stir, the way it always does when he's around. "We should share a bath."

I kissed him gently and agreed.

***** 

We drove into Salisbury the next day, the girls oohing and ahhing at the ancient city. Ned was almost as excited at the buildings of varying ages and styles. Signing in at the bed and breakfast where we had our reservations. Nancy called her friend right away and within the hour she and George were on their way for a long visit at the manor house of the Wenton family.

I met young Sabrina and she seemed to be a nice young thing, very polite and very British. She seemed very taken with Ned and she glanced back at him rather longingly before taking the girls away. He just smiled at her and waved goodbye to them all with a sigh of relief when they were gone.

"I didn't think they'd ever leave. Do we have time to go out to Stonehenge tonight?" He asked hopefully.

"Let's ask." We went back inside and asked the proprietor, Mrs. Muffenstomp for her advice. She gave her opinion that we had time to spare and she gave explicit directions to get us there and back again.

Putting our bags in our room, we washed up and went back downstairs to our hire car. The drive was fun since we could hold hands without worrying about the girls. Slowly the great stones came into view, growing larger and larger as we drove closer. The car park was across the road from the stones and we paid admission at the small booth before heading for the tunnel that ran under the road to the grassy plain where the temple stood.

It's hard to describe the ancient monument if you haven't seen it. Of course, most everyone knows that it's a circle of stones, some with caps and some fallen down that was built thousands of years ago. Nobody quite knows why or how and I watched Ned begin to walk around the tall saracens that made up the outer circle with that look in his eye that spelled the detective in him.

I'd never tell him how much he looks like Nancy when he does that but he does. I can see his analytical brain go to work on figuring out how a primitive people could have engineered such a magnificent feat of stone moving. I was more captivated by the why of this equation. Why spend months and maybe years setting each stone in precisely this configuration?

Was there some mystical significance of this plain and this exact spot? I followed Ned as he made his way around the outer perimeter of stone. They towered above us, the lintels that capped two of them stretching out to the sky. The sun was sinking fast and the bright light threw long shadows around us. Ned hadn't said a word since we gotten here and I had the odd feeling that he'd forgotten that I was with him.

I quickened my pace and joined him. He acknowledged me with a distracted nod, his eyes going right back to the stones. Once we'd made a complete circuit, he took a deep breath and walked between two of the standing stones and into the inner circle. For some reason, I felt a flicker of fear and I hastily followed. And that's when something rather odd occurred.

There seemed to be a thickening of the air that I had to fight my way through. And for just a moment, the light disappeared completely. But then I was through and by Ned's side. 

***********   
Ned  
***********   
I could feel Carson near me. But something was pulling me into that circle of stone, something that I couldn't see or hear but that urged me on just the same. A tingle had started at my feet the moment I caught sight of the stones. It intensified with every step around the circle until I literally had to enter the gate into the sacred center.

Sacred center, where had that come from? I shook my head and felt Carson's hand on my shoulder with a start of relief. "Ned? Are you all right?"

"Carson. Do you hear anything?" I strained to listen to something just on the edge of my hearing.

"No, nothing but the wind." His voice grounded me the same way his hand did.

"Don't let go of me." I approached the center stone and knew that it had never stood upright. That wasn't its purpose. It was supposed to be flat - like an altar.

"I'll never let go, Ned. Tell me what you're feeling right now." He moved closer until he had both arms around me in a gentle hug.

"Age. Strength. Worship." I shivered. "Power. Raw power deep within the ground that's . . . sleeping . . . for now."

"Power," he hesitated. "What kind of power?"

I struggled to find the right words while the sun turned into a ball of orange and pink just at the edge of the world. "Energy. It's not good or bad . . . just immense amounts of energy. Like a well drilled to the center of the earth."

"And Stonehenge is the physical part of that well?" He tugged me closer and I laid my hands over his.

"Yes, it's a place where the priests could come and draw on the power of Earth. Draw it up to use for their people." I stilled and listened again. "It sounds like chanting from very far away."

"Some church is probably having evening service. Sounds can carry quite a distance out here." He began to move us from the circle and I almost resisted but I didn't know why.

"Carson, we need to come back here." I turned to him and pleaded. "Please."

"Tomorrow, Ned. Right now, we're going to drive back to the hotel and have a nice hot dinner. There's a chill in the air." He shivered and I wondered why. It felt like a normal summer day to me.

"All right, but we will come back?" I needed his promise.

"Yes, we'll come back." His blue eyes met mine. "We'll find an expert on Stonehenge and bring him or her along with us next time."

I nodded and let him lead me back to the car, taking one final look at the tall stones. Funny, but they seemed so familiar to me. I'd never been to England before but it had felt like home, from the moment I'd set foot on British soil. And this place called to me somehow. There was an ache deep inside of me that I'd never known was there before. I really needed to return.

Kind of like that old song, 'returning to a place I'd never been before'. Odd but I was glad that we'd have some time here. I got in the car and watched Carson get behind the wheel. He shot a worried look at me and I smiled at him, not wanting him to be concerned. 

"I'm fine, Car. Really." I reassured him. "Let's go get some dinner, it was probably my stomach that I heard growling."

He finally smiled and started the car. "We'll find the best restaurant in Salisbury and eat a nice relaxing dinner without the girls."

"Good, then I'm going to make love to you until you scream." I said with an innocent air, or as much of one as I could manage. His laughter was my reward.

"I'll hold you to that, Ned." He backed out onto the highway and I watched the stones disappear behind us.

That was okay. They were in my mind now and soon I'd be returning.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nancy finds a mystery and Ned goes to a museum. What they find out is not good.

Nancy  
***************** 

I waited until we were alone before exploding into agitated whispers. "George! What the hell is going on here?"

She was listening at the door to the hall and put her finger to her lips. I paced back and forth from the bed to the closet, first checking it to see what might be in there. Some wooden hangers were all that hung on the rod and I mentally decided what needed to be hung up when we unpacked. If we unpacked?

Warm arms slid around me and I turned into George's hug with one of my own. "I think that we've found another mystery, sweetness. Sabrina was practically a basket case by the time we got here. She and her father were arguing up a storm when they left us. Sir Thomas' voice wasn't raised but it sounded like a near thing."

"It has to do with Ned. I believe in love at first sight but that was ridiculous. She couldn't talk of anything but him the whole drive." I shook my head and felt one of George's hands caressing my neck.

"I don't think its love, Nancy." Her dark eyes were focused over my shoulder. She had her thinking face on and I impulsively kissed those slightly pursed lips. She chuckled into the kiss and I giggled when her other hand cupped my breast, squeezing lightly. Setting me back from her, she shook her finger at me. "None of that, young lady, we need to get to the bottom of this quickly. The one thing I did hear was Sir Thomas saying something about two days until the . . . something. They'd moved far enough away that I couldn't hear what that was."

Catching the serious look on her face, I thought a moment. "You think there's some kind of danger and it might be directed at Ned?"

George shrugged. "It's a distinct possibility. I don't want to take the chance. What we need to do is unpack and take a quick look around before Sabrina comes back to get us for dinner. I've got the feeling that some of the clues we need are around us. She said something about a portrait before her father cut her off."

I nodded and we quickly unpacked just enough things for tonight and the next day. Then we split up to canvas the manor house. I went up to the third floor, where the rooms for servants could be found. They were empty and barren except for one room that was locked up tight. I knew those lessons in lock picking with Slippery Al would come in handy some day. Using a bobby pin, I tripped the lock and opened the door.

Well, that was interesting. It appeared to be a chapel . . . or something. The walls were covered with lush black velvet and the . . . altar was long and broad enough to hold a person. I was getting seriously bad vibrations from the whole place so I stayed on the threshold. The black candles on the altar and the scent of something copper smelling solidified the feeling of nastiness that came in waves. I shut the door softly and retripped the lock. Shaking a little, I went through the rest of the rooms quickly then hurried back to the second floor. The door to our room was slightly ajar so I pushed it open the rest of the way and checked first to see who was inside. 

Nobody.

Okay, this was getting spookier by the minute. Doors don't just open and close by themselves. Well, normal doors didn't but this whole place was starting to give me the creeps. A hand on my shoulder made me jump a foot and almost scream.

"Sweetness, what's wrong?" George had come in while I was gingerly checking out the room. "You found something."

I rested my head on her shoulder and held her almost as tightly as she was holding me. I described the room in detail to her. That was a game that we'd begun playing at about the age of ten, 'I spy'. It's why we're both so good at detecting things. Paying attention to our surroundings had become second nature. The act of retelling brought up a few things that I hadn't remembered that I'd seen.

Other items that were on the altar; an obsidian bowl; a silver knife with dark stains on it; and the lock of light hair suspended in a delicate wire mesh that gleamed in the dim light.

George nodded slowly. "Could be they're just playing at black magic. I know a couple of kids back home who are into that. We'll see if there are any other signs while we go through the rest of the house."

"What did you find?" Burying my nose in her soft black hair and taking a deep breath of lovely George-scent, I held her inside and outside of me.

"A long hall of portraits that seem to stretch back a thousand years or more." Her hands were like an electric blanket on my back, leaving heat everywhere they stroked. "And I'd say fully half of them are Ned's twin."

I raised my head and looked into her dark brown eyes. The same nameless worry I had was reflected straight back to me. "Ned's twin? We need to talk to him and Dad. Something is wrong and we have to figure it out before this creepy feeling gets worse."

And that's when the knock at the door came.

************   
Ned  
************ 

Dinner was pretty quiet. Carson kept sneaking little worried peeks at me and I couldn't figure out why. But when we left for a walk after dinner, I made sure that I kept touching him, nothing overt just a hand on his arm or a quick lean into him when I saw something he'd like in a store window. He seemed a little calmer when we walked to the cathedral, commenting on the sound of the bells for evensong and the soaring spire that we'd been able to see all the way out to Stonehenge.

Thinking about the stones, I felt again that yearning towards them. If it hadn't been so late, I'd have loved to watch the sunset from the circle. Suddenly, I realized that that same tug was turning me towards a cobblestone lane. "Carson, let's see what's down here."

"Whatever you wish, Ned." His smile lit up the dusk that was slowly overtaking the light. "Oh look, it's the Wiltshire County Museum . . . and they're open for another half hour. Why don't we see if they have an expert on Stonehenge?"

Something inside of me sighed and said, yes. "Sounds great. Even if they don't, I'll bet that they've got a book in the museum shop that we can buy. I could read it aloud to help you go to sleep."

He let his hand on my back slip down to my ass, leaning in and whispering in my ear. "I can think of something better than reading to help me sleep."

I wiggled just a little and opened my eyes really wide. "Really? Better than a bedtime story?"

"Much better, Ned, although I think several of the bedtime stories I used to read to Nancy could be . . . rewritten on more adult lines." He said softly before smiling at the girl who was sitting by the door, reading a thick book and taking notes. She took our money and said that she'd see if the Curator were still in the building.

The museum had to have once been a house because it was divided up into small rooms. We followed the exhibits down one side through several doorways. Each room was a different time period and they got older the further in we walked. The tingling was back and I could hardly wait to see the items excavated from that powerful spot. The lights were dimmer in the last room except for the spotlights that highlighted the dioramas they'd created.

Glass displays were everywhere and I felt like a kid in a candy shop, not sure where to look first. But Carson had that figured out and was bent over a table top tableau of what the Salisbury Plains must have looked like when the Ancients began to build the circles of stone. What drew me to that case was a cluster of stone tools that my hands itched to hold. They were primitive but I could see how each one had been used in dressing the stones, digging the holes, scraping deer hides for clothing, even a bronze needle for sewing their garments.

Odd, but I could name each and every one of them and was doing so to Carson when someone joined us. Looking up, I saw what appeared to be a gnome dressed in baggy pants and sweater. I blinked and realized that he was beaming at us as if we were long lost relatives.

"Good evening, gentlemen. I see you found one of my favorite displays. Young man, you seem to know your tools. Are you an archaeologist, too?" The deep bass voice went very oddly with his short stature. He couldn't be more than 5'4" but he sounded more like seven foot tall.

"Um, no. I'm an architect." I almost stammered.

Carson introduced us and we shook hands with Avery Tattersole, the museum curator. He began to answer Carson's questions while I listened and watched his hands talk above the glass. His words seemed to open up memories inside my mind and I found myself naming something before he could. It got to be a game at each display for him to give a brief summary then look at me while I named the items inside the case.

In a corner of my mind, I wondered how I knew all this. That same corner could see the little frown between Carson's eyes and feel his uncertainty but I couldn't seem to stop myself. Mr. Tattersole led us to the other side of the room and a darkened case that came to life at the touch of a button. And I leaned forward with a choked cry.

The bones of a young man lay curled around an obsidian knife that had obviously ended his life. They were brown and brittle with age but for some reason I felt like I knew him. He couldn't have been much taller than the curator was when he lived and my mind's eye painted him in strong sure colors with tan skin, blond hair that lay on broad shoulders and blue eyes. I could see his smile turn into a pained grimace as the knife sheathed itself in his heart.

"Ned!" Carson's voice finally got through to me and I found myself sitting on the floor while he knelt in front of me, chafing my hands.

"Carson? What happened?" I was shivering with cold.

"Young man, it appears that you experienced a flashback to the time of your ancestors." Mr. Tattersole's voice was calming and I looked into green eyes very like my own. "I think that we should adjourn to my office for a nice hot cup of tea while you tell me about yourselves. I very much doubt that your coming here at this time of year is a coincidence. It's July 29 and we don't have much time."

He turned rather imperiously and Carson stood, pulling me to my feet and leaving one arm around my waist. I needed his support at that moment. What did the date have to do with anything?

************   
Nancy  
************ 

Tea was odd to say the least. Everybody talked around the hidden emotions that seemed to fill the drawing room while we ate dainty cakes and scones with clotted cream. My eyes kept going to the painting above the fireplace, drawn to the handsome young man who smiled into the room. He was Ned's twin in every way and I felt the hair on the back of my neck keep trying to rise up. Finally I couldn't take the politeness any longer and I barely waited to let Sir Thomas finish his sentence before blurting out my question.

"Whose portrait is that, Sir?"

His eyes went cold for a heartbeat while Sabrina bit her lip and darted quick looks between us. "My son, Marcus. It was painted shortly before his death in a car accident."

"I'm sorry to bring up a sad memory, Sir Thomas. He looks very much like an old friend of mine who is traveling with us." I kept my hand from trembling with some of that iron will that I inherited from Dad.

"Yes, Sabrina mentioned a resemblance. Perhaps he and your father would like to join us for dinner tonight?"

"Sorry, but they're already out sightseeing." George smiled at him. 

"Tomorrow then," he returned her smile with one of his own. "We can go through the family history and see if the Wentons and the Nickersons might be related. My late wife was very fond of genealogy and compiled all the family documents into a family tree that goes back to before the Norman Conquest."

"That sounds fascinating, I'd love to see them. America seems very young when I look around at your lovely home."

He nodded. "Part of this manor house was built before your Revolution. I've found that American visitors love these ancient buildings since you have none of your own."

I kept a smile on my face while fuming inside. "Oh, we have a few back home. The Anasazi Indians left some wonderful monuments. There's a Medicine Wheel made of stone that's rather like your Stonehenge although not quite as old."

He quirked an eyebrow at me. "Aboriginal work is indeed fascinating. Tomorrow, I'll drive you all over to Stonehenge and give you my famous lecture on the stones."

"Dad!" Sabrina rolled her eyes at him but George quickly accepted his invitation.

However, that led to a tour of the house and a walk through the portrait gallery. It was eerie to see Ned in all the different costumes from Edwardian times back to Henry II. I had the feeling that all their eyes were following me and I was seriously inclined to freak out but George kept a hand on my back to keep me calm. Sir Thomas was so proud of his ancestors that it shone from him.

All I could think about was how odd that 90% of the portraits were of the men in the family. Where were the women ancestors? I was beginning to think that the Wentons were serious misogynists. After the tour, we made our excuses and went back to our room. Sabrina told us that some of their friends would be coming for dinner at eight and we assured her that we'd brought something dressy to change into.

As soon as we closed the door behind us, I went straight into George's arms. "Hold me, Georgie."

"Always, Nancy, I'll always hold you." She hugged me close before drawing me over to the bed and coaxing me down onto the pretty green duvet. Tugging my shoes off, she slipped hers off too and joined me. 

I loved it when she blanketed me like that with her warmth. She kissed me slowly but surely, her tongue slightly raspy against mine. We tasted of tea and cake but under that was just us. Rolling back and forth, we finally got undressed so we were skin to skin. She nursed at my breast while I sighed and gave her a scalp massage that had her purring.

We took our time and loved each other almost into passing out. I know that I almost shook her off the bed with the force of my climax. Only her weight over me kept me in place while her fingers teased me to new heights. My breasts were so sensitive that I kept having little aftershocks whenever she kissed the swollen nipples. I had a leg between hers and she started to rock when I slid my fingers inside of her, heading for the spot that made us both tingle.

She buried her cry of completion in the hollow of my throat and it was my turn to hold her tight and murmur sweet nothings in her ear. We napped for an hour before getting up to get ready for dinner. Since it was formal, George got out one of her dresses and I got to watch her turn into the sexiest woman in the room. Seeing her in the crimson silk dress that Dad had brought her from China always made me hotter than hot. 

And she knew it if her teasing look was any indication. The mandarin collar of the short-sleeved dress played up her sleek black pageboy and velvet dark eyes. She was wearing her garter belt with the sheer silk stockings and the side slit almost showed their tops. I had itchy fingers almost immediately but she was zipping me up into my own blue silk so I had to keep my hands to myself.

"Let's go see if we can find out a little more about this family." She kissed my hand and went to unlock the door. "Then we'll come back here and you can undress me with more than just your eyes."

I laughed and went first through the door. She was going to get so loved tonight.

***************   
Ned  
*************** 

I was a little bewildered by the thoughts racing through my head. The curator had asked us to call him Avery and he'd put the electric kettle on in his office before going out to lock up the museum. Carson held both my hands between his and their warmth was welcome. It felt like I was in shock but there was no reason for me to be. I'd seen skeletons before in biology class but this one had felt personal.

Like I'd known him.

Avery returned right before the teakettle whistled shrilly. He quickly made tea and set the big white pot on top of a book while he looked for three cups. "Now, I have a few questions before I do some explaining. All right?" He shot us an inquiring look over the tops of his glasses before continuing. "Good. I can tell that you're American and not blood relatives. Do you know Sir Thomas Wenton?"

Carson started and leaned forward. "My daughter and her friend have been pen-pals with young Sabrina for almost two years. They're staying with her right now."

"Really?" Avery absentmindedly stroked the handle of the teapot and I realized that it was a dragon's tail. In fact the entire pot was a dragon from the spout, which was his mouth to the handle. It even had little clawed feet that kept it raised above the book cover. "Well Ned, you've told me that you're an architect. Carson, what is your profession?"

"I'm a lawyer. Is there something wrong with the Wentons? Should we get Nancy and George away from them?" Carson's voice was worried.

"Not just yet, Carson. They're not the ones in danger." Avery poured tea into the three cups. 

"But Ned is." Carson said quietly, taking the cup offered him.  
"Yes, I'm afraid so." Avery handed me a steaming cup and I nodded silent thanks. I don't think I could have said anything right then to save my life. "Are the two of you lovers? I need to know but it will go no further."

How did he know that just by looking at us? I took a gulp of tea and almost scalded my tongue. Warmth spread throughout my whole body, leaving me feeling like I'd just submerged myself in a hot bath. The pale green tea contrasted with the white china and I found that I'd drunk the entire cup without realizing it. Coming back to the conversation, I heard Carson tell him that we did love each other. That could still amaze me sometimes, that he could say that out loud.

"Good, that will be helpful. Do either of you practice Wiccan rituals? Lughnassad mean anything to either of you?" He took in our no's with a sigh. "Well, we can't have everything."

This was getting weirder by the minute.

"Have you been out to Stonehenge yet?" This time we could say yes. He perked up and motioned for me to hold out my cup so he could refill it. "Excellent, now tell me, Ned, exactly what you felt and saw or heard while you were there."

I exchanged a look with Carson but he nodded his approval so I went over the feelings that had taken over me the moment that I stepped foot on Salisbury Plain soil. He asked quiet questions that seemed to have no point but he nodded several times so I kept talking until I got to my odd reaction to the skeleton.

"What picture rose in your mind when you saw him?" He asked and I described him. "That's what I thought. I have always been uneasy about that exhibit. Something told me that he was a sacramental kill and not battle dead. We'll have to tend to that after we figure out how to save young Ned here from a similar fate."

"Ritual sacrifice in this day and age?" Carson said in amazement. "That's absurd."

I swallowed hard and reached for Carson at the same moment he reached for me. Holding tight, I tried not to believe but feared it was a losing battle. Avery didn't look much like a joker, his authoritative voice sounded much too sure for this to be some kind of elaborate hoax.

"I dearly wish it was but unfortunately it is still practiced in these modern times. When young Marcus Wenton was killed seven months ago in a car accident, Sir Thomas was left without a family sacrifice to Lugh. My coven felt a seeking spell two months ago and now we know what he was seeking, a cadet branch of the Wenton family. Blood will out."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carson watches over Ned. And a past life comes calling. Underage depiction in a Druid ritual.

Carson  
****************** 

He'd finally fallen asleep in my arms. I held him close and fought back a fear that chilled my blood, the fear that I'd lose him. Avery had told us a story that went back past recorded history or at least far enough back that only secret sources remained. I wanted to think that it was all a hoax, an elaborate leg-pull of the gullible Americans. But beyond logic, beyond reason, I did believe him. Somehow, we'd been drawn back here in answer to a call from the darkness.

My ancestors had come from England and it seemed that Celtic blood bred true, Ned's as well. I was determined to run a background check on Sir Thomas at once. Easing Ned onto his back, I kissed him gently then slid out of bed. Moving silently to the outer room of our suite, I got out my address book and looked for the home number of a private inquiry agent that I'd used before.

Ian McKinsey had always come through for me. It was only ten so he should still be up, I decided. Putting the call through, I waited impatiently for him to answer. At the first sound of his Scottish burr, I began to relax a little. Making my request, I told him the bare minimum using investments as a shield. I stressed the need for speed, mentioning the 30th as a deadline.

He agreed cheerfully and told me that he'd get back to me the next day. I heaved a sigh of relief when I hung up. It felt like I was doing something other than worry. Walking back to the bedroom, I watched Ned's sprawl and thought back over the last few months. We'd been together more than apart and that had felt so blissful that I'd reveled in it. I fell asleep and woke up in his arms every night and day.

I would not lose him, especially not to a family that appeared to sacrifice their young for profit and power. Easing back into bed, I picked up the book that Avery had loaned us about ancient Celtic customs. He'd put in a bookmark at the chapter that described the worship of Lugh, the god of light. July 31st was also called Lammas Eve and the first was just Lammas.

In ages past, the divine priest-king was sacrificed willingly in the fields that the harvest might be abundant and the people might survive through the often harsh winters. Christianity assumed the festival but changed it into a harvest blessing with a 'loaf-mass', which was later corrupted into Lammas. 

I kept reading and found it surprisingly interesting. There were even suggestions for a modern day festival of games, dancing and 'sacrifice' of a corn doll to the bonfire. My eyes were getting tired so I put the book aside and clicked off the light by the bed. Scooting down, I breathed deeply of Ned's scent and placed a hand on his back while I slowly fell asleep.

***** 

It had been a good year and I watched my people celebrate with feasting and dancing. Walking among them, I made sure that the couples I'd just married were still satisfied with their bargains. Two clans, the Barbars and the Claeys, who'd been at knife's edge were slowly but surely getting to know each other while their eldest children sat and talked quietly.

Stopping by their fire, I spoke with young Pers and sweet Janys. They'd married for the good of the clans but already I could see a bond forming between them that bode well for my matchmaking. Leaving them, I completed my circuit of the celebrations and ended back with High Priest Garlock near the bonfire from which all the other fires had been lit.

"King Davas." Garlock nodded to me and appraised my mood. "It goes well."

"Yes, it does." I returned his nod and accepted a goblet of honeyed mead. It flowed down my throat and softened the hoarseness that had crept in from all my speaking.

"There is yet one more sacrifice to be made tonight, King Davas." He knew that I was opposed to this but the Druid High Council had decreed one more ritual to ensure the harvest would be a good one. "The acolyte chosen has given his consent gladly."

"There is no need to spill blood this night." I hated the thought of hurting some young soul who had had no chance to truly live.

"The Council has foreseen a time of great despair unless this sacrifice is made. Better the blood of one than many. He awaits you at the altar. My brothers will ring the sacred circle to absorb the power raised." He lifted an eyebrow at me and I drained the cup to keep from saying something that I would regret.

A slight bitterness remained and I frowned at Garlock. "What was in that?"

"A small potion to aid the ritual." He stood and raised me to my feet. "Walk with me."

I could feel my blood begin to burn in my veins and I silently cursed the wily old man who'd left nothing to chance. Already, I felt heat flush my limbs and tighten my groin. The air began to haze about me and my gaze focused on the tall standing stones that had been a part of the Plains since before I was born. There was no fire here, no rushes to light the darkness.

The sound of the drums was continuous now. Their beat was synchronized with my heart and the steady pulse burned through me like a firebrand. I was sweating as if with the fever and Garlock pulled my cape off then two other priests finished undressing me. The new moon above lit my way between the Saracen plinths to the large flat stone and the young man who lay quietly there.

I drew close to him and feasted my eyes on his beauty. His eyes slowly opened and I wondered what he thought of the man who stood before him.

"Lad, tell me truly. Do you freely give yourself for our people?" I stroked his arm and felt him shiver.

"Y-y-yes, Sire. Lord Garlock explained what would happen and I freely give myself to you." He stuttered. "I m-m-mean to our people."

His body had been oiled with the sacred olive and I ran a gentle hand over the pale firm flesh before me. "You're so beautiful and so young to give yourself to an old man like me."

He sat up gracefully and caught my hand in his. "Not old, Sire, you're not old at all. I used to watch you when you came to the Grove to speak with Lord Garlock. The others teased me when they realized why I always crept close and jumped to run any errands that were needed. You patted my head once and thanked me for the wine I brought."

"Naris?" I remembered the tow-headed young lad who always seemed to appear when I was summoned to the Sacred Grove of Astarte. "You're barely more than a child."

"I became a man last year, Sire. And truly, I do wish this." He knelt up and awkwardly kissed me.

The potion in my blood had been potent but his scent and taste fired my senses until I barely retained enough control to lay him back onto the stone and cover him with my own body. Taking control of the kiss, I taught him to open his lips to me, to suck on my tongue and to let me sweep his mouth clean of the spices from the same honeyed mead that I'd drunk.

Small noises told me that he was enjoying my caresses and I stroked his young cock until it burst in my hand. He quivered in my arms like a small bird and I soothed his tears of release before kissing him again. He almost didn't notice when I slid a slick finger inside his small hole. But two fingers made him squirm and hold onto me while he panted in my ear. 

I kissed my way down his throat and suckled on a pert nipple. He held me there while his hands combed through my long brown hair. "Sire, why am I so hot?"

Chuckling, I kissed my way back up to those sweet lips. "It's partly potion and partly passion. I must ask once more. Do you give yourself freely?"

"Yes. Please yes. Just put out the fire inside of me, Sire." He flexed around my fingers.

Pulling them out, I pushed his legs up to his chest and positioned myself at the small hole that was to be truly opened tonight. "Breathe in then let it out slowly."

He shivered but did as I bade him. With his exhale, I thrust inside the virginal place where no man had been before. His cry was wounded and I held myself still within him, kissing the tears away from the beautiful green eyes and trying to keep my full weight off his tender body.

"Breathe, Naris, relax and the pain will lessen." I kissed every bit of skin I could reach and felt him finally loosen the inner muscles that held me so securely. Thrusting gently, I stroked over the sweet spot that all men have and felt him quiver around me. "Better now?"

"Oh, yes. You feel so . . . so wonderful." Those dazed eyes were open again and their sparkle gave an extra sizzle to my already fevered state. "More, King Davas, please more."

"As you wish, sweet Naris." I kept my thrusts gentle for I knew there was still some pain. But he opened to me completely, his legs wrapped around my waist and his arms holding me to him. My knees were going to regret this come morning but at the moment I could have cared less. The heat was rising all around us and we were on fire both inside and out.

He was panting in short gasps and the moment he burst for the second time I came hard deep inside of him. His cry was lost in my mouth and I barely had enough sense to roll us to our sides instead of crushing him into the granite stone that had been our nuptial bed. He clung to me, his heart pounding in his chest, the beat matching mine exactly. The drums were still beating but slower now, once again mimicking our hearts.

My cock was slowly slipping from him and I knew he had to be in pain but his murmur was a contented one and he nursed on my nipple as if it would give him milk. I held him close and cursed Garlock at the same time I blessed him. The old man had known all along that I was lonely and in need of a companion. And he must have known of young Naris' innocent feelings for me, too.

But had we had to consummate our love on a cold hard stone?

I slipped out completely and he moaned while holding me with suddenly shaking hands. "It's all right, little love. We'll get you some healing salve back home."

He tensed, sitting up awkwardly when I did. "You mean back in the Grove, Sire."

I smiled at him and eased off the stone before leaning in to sweep him up into my arms, leaving behind the bloody discharge of his virginal offering. "I mean back home, Naris. Garlock and the others will just have to do without you from now on. I want you with me every night and day for the rest of our years. What do you want?"

He slid his arms around my neck and held on tight, his eyes sparkling with tears. "You, my lord, I've always wanted you."

Laughing, I held him close and strode through the stones to where the High Priest was waiting with our cloaks. "Garlock, you are a scheming old man and you have my deepest thanks."

Sliding the cloak around my shoulders, he smiled. "Davas, the power raised today will keep our people safe for many a long year. I sent Naris' things to your home. And some healing salve to help soothe the pain. Thank you, little one, for your part in this. Be good for the king and give him all the love he needs."

Naris was blushing beet-red but he managed a nod before I left the Druids to their singing of the power we'd raised. The potion no longer burned through my blood but my heart was light as the moon at the wonderful feel of the young man in my arms. His head was tucked into my shoulder and his tongue was tracing intricate patterns on my throat. Today was a day of great rejoicing and I planned to spend it and all the rest of my days with my new love.

***** 

I started away with a jolt and looked about the room as if I'd never seen it before. Ned wasn't beside me and I looked around only to hear the toilet flush. I ran a shaking hand through my hair and thought about the dream I'd just had. It had felt so real that I could still feel the stone beneath my knees, taste the sweet kisses, see the slim body I'd plundered. He'd been little more than a boy and I'd been . . . I somehow knew that I'd been almost thirty.

But it was just a dream. Wasn't it?

"Carson, what's wrong? You look like you've just seen a ghost." Ned slid back under the covers and I laid back down, drawing him into my arms.

"I had the strangest dream, love. Those stories that Avery told must have been more potent than I realized. It was so real though." I stroked his slightly chilled skin and pulled him closer until he blanketed me completely. Then I told him the dream while he listened carefully with soft kisses when my voice faltered.

When I was finished, he thought for a long moment. "It felt very real, didn't it?" I nodded and he sighed. "Something is going on, Carson but we'll figure it out."

"We'd better. The sacrifice of Naris was just his virginity but that skeleton that you seemed to know lost his life. That won't happen to you. I won't let it." I held him fiercely and he murmured my name before kissing me.

I came alive the way I always did when he kissed me like that. His legs were clasped to my hips and our cocks dueled for space between us. He wiggled a little and my hands stroked over those downy cheeks while he shivered with wanton fervor. When he pulled away from my lips, his whole face wrinkled into a teasing smile.

"Well, King Davas, you've been out overseeing our people and now that you're back, I have a welcome home surprise for you." He licked his way down my throat and sucked lightly at the hollow.

"Really, Naris, I thought I'd get caught up on some of the scrolls that are sure to be piled on my desk while I was away." One hand slid under the pillow for our lube while the other gloved Ned's cock.

"Oh no, Sire, I've been left all alone here for weeks and weeks. Why I almost feel like that shy boy that waited for you among the stones so long ago. I think you need to make sure that I haven't become a virgin again." He took the lube from my hands and squeezed some onto his. 

"Really, do you think that you could have become that sweet young man who'd never been kissed again?" I felt the tender touch of his fingers smoothing the cool lubricant over my heated flesh and for a moment, I did feel like the king again.

"Perhaps, Sire, all lovers become virgins again after a long absence." He sat up and guided me into the tight hot depths that felt like home to me. We both sighed when I was firmly seated. "Yes, that feels like the first time all over again, love."

"I think you might be right, my dearest love." I waited for him to ride me and he soon rose and fell on my cock, using his strong thigh muscles to lift himself before letting gravity take its course.

All too soon, I felt my skin tighten and heard the pants that told me he was close. With a flex of my muscles, I flipped him onto his back so I could give him the fast, hard thrusts that we both loved. He moaned so sweetly that I had to smile but he also clenched around me so hard that he pulled my climax from me with his own.

"Carson." He sighed my name and I collapsed on his panting body while his arms came up around me. The need had been satiated for the moment.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone meets at Stonehenge. Blood sacrifice is mentioned.

****************   
Nancy  
**************** 

I have never been so glad to see someone in my life. Dad and Ned were walking near the Heel stone at Stonehenge when the rest of us arrived. Sir Thomas paid our way in while I hurried ahead to have a quick word with Dad. They both looked a little strained and I had a premonition that something else had happened.

"Dad," I went up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. "We have to talk about the Wentons."

"I know, sweetheart. We know something about them too and . . ." he took a quick look at Ned who was accepting a hug from George. "This is serious business, Nancy. We'll talk together after this little meeting."

"Okay." I stepped back in time to introduce them to Sir Thomas.

He was suave and urbane but it was all a veneer and I could see the lustful look in his eyes whenever he looked at Ned. It made my skin crawl and I could tell that Dad was being polite with a super human effort. Sabrina was so nervous that she was practically wringing her hands. I was pretty sure that whatever was going on, she wasn't a willing participant. 

But I've been wrong before so I linked arms with her and gave my most dizzy impression of a simpering blonde. That usually relaxes people and it worked today, although Ned gave me that look he has. It always makes me want to stick out my tongue at him but I restrained myself and batted my eyes instead. That gave George a coughing fit and a quick glance that told me that she'd be taking care of me later.

Oh good, I got damp just thinking about her loving chastisement. But we were walking around the central circle of stones now and I watched Ned go completely focused on the tall plinths and the flat rock inside. Dad was right by his side and alert, the way he usually was in the courtroom when he could tell that someone was lying. He's got a sixth sense that way and I'd inherited it from him.

I was also getting an impression of impatience mixed with the lust I'd sensed earlier from Sir Thomas. The three of them were walking side by side with George, Sabrina and me following. Ned was in the middle and he and Dad are almost the same height while Sir Thomas was a good six inches shorter. But somehow you didn't notice that when you looked at him. He radiated power and when he gestured towards an opening between the lintel-capped stones, he looked . . .

Kingly - almost as if he was giving them permission to enter the circle.

But Ned and Dad exchanged a grin and entered with a joke about ancient sacrifices that puzzled Sir Thomas. I was mentally cheering them on when we walked through as well. The air felt different inside the stones and I looked around with curious eyes. It felt like we'd entered a church, one of those really old ones where you feel kind of small and insignificant. It felt warmer, too. 

July is warm, I know, but this felt like a hundred degrees. I wanted to be in shorts and a halter-top instead of the nice cotton voile dress with no sleeves that I was wearing. Or better yet, I'd love to be wearing nothing at all rolling around on the soft green grass that softened our footsteps. George's heated look told me that she was feeling the same way. But poor Sabrina just looked like she'd been trapped in an elevator with a cigar smoker.

When I looked over at the men, that lusty look was back on Sir Thomas' face. But Dad and Ned weren't paying attention to anyone but themselves. Dad looked . . . I can't describe it but I felt like I needed to curtsey to him. And Ned was turning slowly to look at the stones with a feline grace that I wish I had. George moves like that sometimes and I usually have to pounce on her and initiate one of our love games, the Mistress and the Pleasure Slave.

And that's exactly what Ned looked like right then, a pleasure slave of great price.

Now, my panties were definitely damp and it felt hotter than ever inside this broken circle of stones where no wind blew. The men were talking about the history of Salisbury Plain and its stone monuments. Dad mentioned that they'd seen the Wiltshire County museum the night before and Sir Thomas' face went rigid for a moment before wrinkling into a smile that was just short of a sneer.

"They have a few exhibits worth seeing but in all modesty, I think our collection of artifacts at Wenton Manor is superior. Why don't you come to dinner tonight and I'll give you the tour?" He smiled again but this one was the lustful one. "Ned, I think you'll find our ancestral portrait gallery an interesting experience."

"Oh, Neddy, you have to come and see them. We got such a shock last night when Sir Thomas gave us a tour of the Manor." I gushed ingenuously and felt George quiver at my side. I didn't dare look at her for fear of laughing. It brought up the memory of the last time we played the Virgin and the Prison Guard.

Ned hates that nickname and his glance was just short of a glare. It didn't help that Dad was also trying not to laugh out loud. But Dad mastered himself, and that thought made me shiver like never before, while he accepted the invitation for both of them. The conversation went back to the stones while I pondered the sudden urge to make love with every single person within the stones. Well, all of them but Sir Thomas, he made my skin crawl. And I really shouldn't be thinking about my own Dad that way but there was an itch that needed scratching really, really badly deep inside of me.

Thank God, George packed some of our toys. I needed to get fucked and I needed it now. But after another fifteen minutes, we left the circle and I cooled down instantly. Just like that, there was a cool breeze fanning my red cheeks and the temp had dropped to a comfortable seventy-five degrees. What the hell was that all about? George and I exchanged another look while Sabrina relaxed beside us, no longer frightened but relieved.

Something was going on and we needed some answers soon. It felt like a storm was rising in the distance but its brooding presence was drawing closer. And I still needed to get fucked in the not too distant future.

***************   
Ned  
*************** 

It was really odd but this second visit was different from before. It was hot and sultry inside the stone circle and I could hear the sound of drums like Carson had described from his dream. But they were distant and still slow like a normal heart beat. Sir Thomas made my skin crawl with his lustful gaze and his penchant for touching my arm. I knew what he wanted and that made me feel sick.

Carson is the only one I ever want touching me.

But somehow I knew that Sir Thomas wanted something different. He had an aura about him that spoke of bondage and pain. He liked hurting things and people. When we left the circle and most of the feelings dropped away, I barely kept my sigh of relief inside. I'd need strong armor for this evening and the strongest shield I knew was Carson and our love. Nancy looked like she was going to jump on George the minute they were alone and that sounded like a great idea to me.

The look in Carson's eyes told me I wasn't alone in my need. But first we needed to speak to Avery Tattersole and tell him about the vivid dream that Car had dreamt. In our rental car away from Sir Thomas, I laid my head back against the rest and sighed out loud. Carson picked up my hand and dropped a kiss in the palm, soothing his love over the nasty feeling the other man had left with me.

"I shall kiss every single spot on your body that he might have touched, Ned. We'll take a long hot bath and wash him away." His tones were fierce, like the warrior king he'd been in the dream.

Naris had been a very lucky acolyte to win King Davas' love.

We parked the car in the car park and walked quickly to the museum. Avery had left our names at the front so we went straight back to the office where he waited for us. He welcomed us with the ever-present tea and Carson told him the dream while Avery listened carefully. Then I told him about the meeting with Sir Thomas at Stonehenge. He was frowning by the time we finished talking.

"He's already started his campaign to reel Ned in. The touches were simply his way of 'tagging' you." Avery sipped slowly while giving me an appraising look. "You'll need to be careful, young man. Stick to Carson like a limpet. Once away from him, you'll be quite vulnerable because of your youth. Sir Thomas was trained from childhood in power gathering. He was the second son and his older brother Edward was the sacrifice of his generation. Edward looked much like you, Ned. He was a golden lad with a heart as big as Thomas' is small."

"What should I look for?" I didn't want to admit it but I was scared stiff.

"Alcohol of any kind can hold a distilled potion that is virtually tasteless. Like his touches, they will tag you and condition you to obey him." He saw my involuntary shudder. "I know, Ned. Edward didn't believe my warnings and when he died I grieved bitterly. I watched Marcus grow up and felt such fear for him that I could hardly bear it. When he was killed in that silly car accident, part of me felt relieved even while I mourned the loss of his promise."

I shivered and felt Carson's hand take mine into his, warming me with light friction. "I won't let him have you, Ned. Just remember I love you and I'm never letting go."

"Bulldog, uh?" I managed a weak joke.

"You have no idea." His look was fierce and loving at the same time. "Anything else, Avery? Is there perhaps something that would ward off these tags?"

"Not in time, I'm afraid. I'm meeting with my coven tonight and we should be able to craft something that will protect you both but there is one problem." He set his cup down and pinched his nose the same way that Carson did when he had a headache. "I've felt for some time that the coven has a leak . . . a member who's reporting to Sir Thomas. It's one of the reasons that I didn't call them together last night when I met you. I hope I'm wrong but in case I am not, I'd like both of you to pay attention to any dreams that you have tonight."

We nodded that we understood and he stood up, going to a cluttered bookcase and searching for a moment. When he straightened up, he had a small tin that looked like an old Victorian bookstore. "This is a tea that will help you reach that astral plain where memories lie. Drink a cup before sleeping and concentrate on a request for information that will help you in the coming confrontation."

Carson took it, nodding his acquiescence. "Let's meet for breakfast tomorrow morning. We'll have a lot to talk about and it will be D-day. If I have to I'll simply put all of us into the car and drive away."

Avery nodded slowly. "If you can, that may be the wisest move."

If we could? It felt like a cold breeze swept the room and I shivered all over. The other two didn't seem to sense it though so I kept quiet. I was probably just spooked. I needed Carson inside of me to take away the fear and ground me to this world, not some astral plain.

**************   
Nancy  
************** 

We barely got inside the manor house when Sir Thomas left to do some business and Sabrina went to lie down with a sick headache. That left George and I on our own and even though I wanted to go back to the room in the worst way, she asked me to show her the room on third floor.

It was even nastier than before. There were fresh stains in the bowl and something that looked like matted hair pinned with a silver broach to a blood-red cushion. George was frowning heavily by the time I relocked the door. She was thinking hard while we hurried back down to our room. Once there, I started undressing at once. I needed her so badly that I was shaking.

"Nancy, is there something you want?" Her voice was amused and I sent her a sideways look from under my eyelashes. She likes it when I flirt and this time it got me a heated glance that I could feel slide over my skin like her hands.

"I was thinking a nap would be nice in this nice cool bed. I'm feeling all . . ." I slid off my dress and let it foam onto the carpet, leaving me in just my bra and panties. "All hot and bothered."

She unbuttoned her red silk shirt and let it fall. "The stones were rather sultry, weren't they?" Coming closer, she traced a bead of sweat into the well of my breasts. "Maybe I can think of something to cool you down."

I unsnapped her white pants and pushed them down her slim hips to the floor, tonguing the damp spot in the front of her silk panties. Slightly salty and I hooked my fingers to pull them off so I could have full access to her silky curls. She sighed and I felt her caress to my hair. But then she was tugging me up so she could get at me. My panties came off then she unhooked my lacy bra and let my aching breasts fall out into her hands.

Her touch was almost too much for me and I moaned when she pinched my hardened nipples. "On the bed, Nancy, I know just what you need."  
"Oh, yes, Georgie. Please fuck me." I took two steps to the bed and pulled the covers off completely so all there was left was the cool mint green sheet. Sliding onto it, I rolled until I was centered in the bed. Touching myself self gently, I remembered the feelings from the stone circle and suddenly I was on fire again. "Please, Georgie, I need you."

She chuckled. "I know, sweetness. I need you, too." I watched her unlock her suitcase and bring out the smaller bag that held our toys. "Put your hands on the headboard, Nancy." She took out the bottle of lotion that I loved then the silk bag that held my nipple clamps and last but not least, the box that held the leather dildo that her Aunt Helen had sent her from Paris.

I held onto the rails in the headboard with shaking hands. I felt so empty inside and only George could fill me. I spread my legs for her and she slid between them to kiss me. Her lips were always so soft yet firm and I opened for her at once so she could come inside with that velvet tongue that always felt so good against mine. Her fingers were slick with lotion and she rubbed my nipples until I began to pant.

Then I felt the first sharp pinch of one clamp and then the other and the exquisite pain arced through my whole body. I shuddered under the stimulus and she chuckled before moving further down to tongue my aching nipples. Little shivers racked my body as her warm tongue licked my skin while her clever fingers sank inside of me. She teased me until I was shaking, only then did I feel the first touch of the leather dildo. 

It was thicker than anything we'd ever used before and I shook a little at the first stretching but she just rocked it out a little then back in. Out then in until suddenly I realized that it was all the way inside of me except for the handle on the base. It felt like a baseball bat and I had a sudden image of a big cock attached to . . .

No, I was not thinking about Ned's cock. 

"Oh love, that's the most interesting look on your beautiful face." George was running slick fingers over my stomach and down between my legs. "Which cock are you thinking about, Ned's or Carson's? Ned looked like he was about to devour your dad when we were in the circle. And your dad had a rather imperial look about him that said he'd be happy to fuck any of us right into the ground."

Bingo! Okay, so I was one sick pussy and she knew it.

"It's okay to fantasize, sweetness. It doesn't mean that you're sick or perverted." She reached up and tugged just a bit on the chain that ran between the clamps, reminding me of that sharp pleasure. I arched my back a little and that moved the dildo against a sweet spot that we'd found by accident right after we started using it. 

Fire spread throughout my whole body and I flushed from head to toe. "Georgie, again. Do that again."

"What, sweetness, move it like so?" She twisted it inside of me and rocked it against that spot again. "Or maybe you're thinking about Carson's big cock inside of Ned? Do you think that they're making love right now, like we are?"

I felt one of her fingers slide over my hole and I shifted from side to side suddenly needing something more. What would it look like to see Dad fucking Ned? George began to slowly fuck me with the dildo at the same time she slid her thumb inside my clenching hole. I gasped and rocked onto it, feeling too full and yet not quite enough. What did it feel like to Ned with something the size of the dildo back there?

It had to hurt. Didn't it? But just then I couldn't think anymore, only feel the tingles begin to race over my skin while I tried to get enough air in to stay conscious. George's tongue was slowly licking up to my nipples and I knew when she reached them it would be all over for me.

"Just think, sweetness, Carson's big cock is slamming into Ned's tiny little hole while the whole bed shakes around them. And he's biting those dark brown nipples instead of your pretty pink ones." She increased the in and out of the dildo while I burned everywhere. "And just maybe when he kisses Ned, his big . . . thick . . . cock begins to spurt inside that tight hot ass."

And that was it for me. The pictures and the vibrations were all mixed together in my mind and the first touch of her mouth to my right nipple bowed my back with the force of my climax. I spasmed over and over again, each time she twisted the dildo until I blacked out.

**********   
Sir Thomas  
********** 

The small panel slid closed and the watcher nodded. So, the boy wasn't a virgin anymore. It was a good thing that that wasn't what was going to be sacrificed. With a cold smile, the watcher decided to concentrate on taking out the protective lover so young Ned could be brought to heel.

Perhaps after Drew was gone, Ned could be fucked before he was sacrificed. It would be a pity to let such a tasty morsel go to his grave without one last bout of hot sex. The watcher chuckled and left to make a few changes in the evening plans. So much to do and so little time.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An afternoon nap brings more information.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The past life in this chapter ends in rape and death. It's only as graphic as it needs to be but that is pretty graphic unfortunately. Skip it if that's a trigger.

Ned  
************** 

I tugged at the ties that held my arms over my head and wished I could plead with Carson to hurry up. But he'd gagged me too and all I could do was moan at each slow steady thrust. I'd come twice already and the towel under me was soggy. I'd started on my stomach, gone to my back and now I was on my stomach again. I don't know where he was getting his stamina from but I was on the verge of passing out when he impaled me one last time and flooded me with his seed.

And I came again with the tiny little bit of fluid I had left. He'd gone boneless on my back and I welcomed his weight even though I was in the wet spot.

"Ned." It was the first word he'd spoken in almost forty-five minutes and I shook at the love he wrapped around my name.

He reached up and untied my hands then undid the gag. Very slowly, he rocked himself out of my well-used ass and I hissed when he finally came out. I hadn't been this sore since our first month together. Tender hands gathered me up and slid me from the bed into strong arms that carried me into the attached bathroom. He sat me down on the loo and started the hot water in the bathtub. 

Then Car came back and knelt by my side. "I'm sorry I was so rough."

"What? Car, you loved me like you rarely have before. I've been asking you to let go a little." I cupped his face in my hands and made sure we made eye contact. "I love you, all of you and there is nothing you could do that would make me stop. If it had been too much I would have let you know. I love being the center of all that concentrated loving."

He looked at me a little uncertainly. "You're sure? I felt so focused on wiping away his touch that I didn't ask you what you wanted."

"I always want you, Carson Drew." I drew him close and nibbled a little on that lower lip that I love. "Rough or tender, it's always you and it always will be."

Sighing, he kissed me back. "I love you, Ned."

"Good, now help me into the bathtub, I need to soak." I let him lift me up and into the steaming water. I bit back another hiss at the stinging heat then relaxed all over. He dropped a kiss on my head then murmured something about ordering some tea for us and left me there to soak.

I ran languid hands over my body and counted the sore spots gleefully. He'd bitten me in at least five spots, including the one on my ass that really stung. Every time I sat down, I was definitely going to be feeling him. Which may have been the point, I guess. After we left Avery, we'd gotten a brief lunch then come back to the room. The maid had been in and made the bed for all the good that had done.

Carson had stripped off the covers, gotten two towels placed just so then gotten out the silk ties that usually meant an intense session of lovemaking. I just hadn't known how intense it would be. He'd slowly stripped me bare then tied me face down on the bed with a pillow under my hips and another under my chest so I could breathe easily. When I heard the cap on our oil pop off, I wiggled all over. This was going to be good.

And it had been, from his first slow easing into my ass to the swats that warmed my bottom until I almost came from just that. His thrust had grown deeper until I let out a cry and came. But he didn't and the next thing I knew, he was gagging me and coming out of me so he could turn me over and slam right back in. It was just a damn good thing he'd known how I'd react or somebody would have called the police at my yell.

He'd taken my nipples hostage all the while he thrust against my prostate. Gently, I touched them now and they throbbed in almost pain. I'd finally come for the second time but he still hadn't when he came out, flipped me over and plowed right back in. My balls were sore, my cock ached and it felt like I'd never shrink my ass again. Sighing, I sank a little further into the hot water and grinned.

Someday, I was going to have him go into warrior mode again. After he got over feeling guilty, which was silly but so very like my tender lover. A soft noise brought my eyes up to see him come back in with our soap. He knelt again and met my gaze with apologetic eyes.

"Let me wash you?" He asked and I sat up quickly to kiss him hard.

"Thank you for loving me, Car. Of course, you can wash me. Although as a proper body slave, I should probably be washing you." I batted my eyelashes at him and finally teased a smile to his face.

"I wouldn't be a very good master if I didn't take good care of you." He soaped his hands and smoothed them over my shoulders and down each arm. I sighed and enjoyed each tender caress until I felt clean and oh, so tired. He had to help me out of the tub my muscles had relaxed that much. Toweling me dry, Carson led me back to the bed and tucked me in.

A knock at the door made him snatch at his robe and answer it hastily clothed. It was a tea tray with lots of goodies on it and he sat it on my lap while he went in to wash up. I tipped some of the tea that Avery had given us into the hot water instead of the tea bags they'd provided. Maybe it would work for naps as well as deep sleep. While it steeped, I ate two of the little sponge cakes filled with whipped cream and thought about the bizarre situation we found ourselves in.

Carson joined me still slightly damp around the edges and I held up an edge of the comforter so he could slide in beside me. The bed still smelled of our loving and I thought that was the best smell in the world. Pouring us each a cup of tea, I handed him his and took my first sip of the slightly golden brew. It smelled like new mown fields and tasted earthy but sweet.

His eyebrow went up. "Avery's tea? Interesting, I wonder what it is."

"Probably an ancient potion brewed since the beginning of time." I said solemnly before smiling at him. "I hope we dream of another life together."

"I hope it will give us an edge in this strange drama we find ourselves in." He finished his tea and took one of the petits-fours. "I hope the girls are all right."

"I expect that Nancy took George back to the manor and pounced on her. Something in that circle really ratcheted up the sexual tension. Funny but it didn't seem to effect Sabrina. She just looked anxious and upset."

The look on Carson's face was odd to say the least. "You really think they went back and . . . made love to each other?"

Oops, that thought seemed to disturb him. "They love each other, Car, so yes, I expect they went back and made mad passionate love to each other. Just like we did."

He looked at me and smiled. "She's still my little girl, Ned, and probably always will be. It's hard to think of her as a . . . sexual person. Although, George has always had a very sexy walk that I'm sure you noticed."

"Me." I widened my eyes and looked innocent, or as innocent as I could manage while naked in bed with my male lover. "I'll bet they play a version of our Master and the Pleasure Slave fantasy."

His eyebrow quirked up. "And who's the Mistress?"

"Nancy because George has to be the pleasure slave." I said with confidence. "I'd love to see them right now. I wonder if George tied her to the headboard so she couldn't help?"

Carson looked startled to say the least. "Really?"

"Really." I suddenly yawned and felt my eyelids go heavy. Carson moved the tray to the side table and helped me slide down onto the sheets. He pulled the covers up over us and I turned to him so he could hold me while we slept. "Love you, Car."

"I love you too, Ned. Sweet dreams, love."

I hummed and fell asleep.

************ 

This was not good. We'd come back to the village after chasing the bandits away and hadn't even had time to wash up before the Master was calling for us. Ewan groaned silently and tugged his tunic straight while checking me for bloodstains. There were only a couple and in the dim light of the manor, maybe they'd go unnoticed.

We followed the steward to the Great Hall and Father smiled grimly at us. "Finally back are you? How far did you chase them?"

"Just past Sillbury Hill, Sir. They'll not be back." I stood up straight as I'd been taught and wondered if I'd ever do anything right in his eyes. "Was there something else?" I bit back the name 'Father' since he didn't like me to use it. My younger brother could but then little Tom was his favorite.

"The priests have asked for someone of the family to assist them in the harvest festival. Now that you're sixteen and a man grown, it's time for you to take your place at the feast. High Priest Drusis asked for you specifically." He dropped his eyes and fidgeted a little, which was so unlike him that I started getting worried.

"When does he want me to go to the Grove?" Maybe he'd let some more of the details drop if I asked him the right questions.

"When the moon rises above the Heel stone, you're to be at the stone circle." He bit off each word as if it cost him a gold coin. "Go and wash up, you look like you've been rolling in the mud. Ewan will not accompany you. This is for you to do alone."

"But Sir . . ." the leader of the guard protested.

"No! This is for Edward alone. He will not need guarding since it's only a mile to the circle. That is my final order. Now be off with you." He shooed us away as if we were flies pestering him.

I turned and left the hall to head for the kitchens. Maybe Nana Recca would know more. Ewan followed me silently but I could feel his concern like a hand on my back. The kitchens were bustling with the before dinner frenzy. Nana was in front of the fire, stirring something with a practiced hand.

"Nana, what is going on?" I asked her when I was close enough to make her hear me.

She started and turned. "I've no idea, lovey. None at all, first I heard of it that nasty High Priest was closeted with your father and pretty soon the word came down that you were to have a bath and a light meal before going to the circle." She snorted and went back to stirring the pot. "The bath is waiting for you in your room and I've fixed a nice little shepherd's pie to tide you over until what ever this nonsense is, is over."

"Thanks, Nana." I bussed her cheek and she laughingly made as if to swat me with her wooden spoon. But I danced away in time and fled to my room with Ewan still close to my side. 

The bath was still warm and I stripped with a sigh of relief. Ewan scrubbed me down with the soft lye soap that Nana made every summer. It stung a bit on the bruises that were just now forming from our small battle. Once I was done, I made him strip too and I returned the favor. His body was strong and hard, just the way I liked it. I'd seduced him the moment I turned sixteen and he'd given in so quickly that I knew he'd been waiting for me to become a man.

He emerged from the tub dripping and I hastily toweled him dry before pulling him over to my bed. If I was going to have to endure a boring ceremony with the local Druids then I needed some loving to keep me going. He didn't even protest just took my slim body in his hands and made me moan. I was writhing on the bed when he finally sheathed himself inside of me. 

He's really big and that always hurt a little but then he'd make me feel so good that I soon forgot the pain in the pleasure he gave me. This time was no different except it felt like he was sealing himself to me with every stroke. I could feel my body thrumming in time to his thrusts and soon I could no longer hold back. Flooding his callused hand with my seed, I waited to feel his inside of me but he kept on thrusting as if possessed.

So I squeezed my muscles around him like he'd taught me and was rewarded with another volley of thrusts that had me hardening again in an impossible short time. And I thought I was the one with all the energy, I thought with a smile. He'd told me that experience would always beat out youth and he was proving that with every stroke. Finally, he impaled me with his sword of flesh and bit my shoulder. That startled me so much that I came again and felt him flood me with his hot seed.

We collapsed on my bed and I felt him curl around me protectively. "Little Edward, be very safe for me tonight. I dislike the thought of you alone with the priest. He's been eyeing you since you were just a lad."

"He wouldn't dare try to take me, Ewan. One day, I'll be your sword-brother and leave this place to little Tom so we can travel to see the wonders of England." I hugged his arms around me and felt him lick the bite on my shoulder. "If you're that hungry, why don't we get up and eat dinner."

"Sorry, Edward, I felt as if I had to mark you before you go to the circle." He nuzzled his nose behind my ear and I shivered all the way down to my toes. Only with him could I lose control like this for he would always keep me safe from harm.

But the tap at the door said that dinner was waiting and I needed to dress for this silly ceremony. So we got up and he helped me put on the forest green tunic with the white leggings that I kept for special occasions. The bronze link belt was an old one that had been in the family for years and it was my prized possession. It was Grandfather Neville, my mother's father who had bequeathed it to me and Ewan liked to see me wear it.

We shared the light meal and many kisses before it was time for me to set off for the circle. The full moon over head lit my way and with a last fond look, I started the walk along the path that we'd worn in the plain's grasses. The stone circle could be seen from my village and it grew bigger in the darkening shadows. Several of the other priests were standing by each stone when I approached and with their hoods pulled forward, I couldn't tell which ones they were. 

But the High Priest was standing tall in the middle of the circle and he beckoned me within with a single gesture. I felt a shiver run up my spine and my legs trembled when I passed through the stone arch. It felt warmer inside the circle and I stopped a few steps from Drusis. He held out a golden chalice and motioned to me to drink from it. The taste was strong and bitter and I almost gagged before swallowing a mouthful.

Almost immediately though, I felt warmth flush through me until I was sweating in the moonlight. I watched Drusis approach me and tilt my head up to meet his. That's when I saw what Ewan had meant. The lust in those eyes was sickening and I tried to jerk away only to have him hold me in a cruel grip that would leave bruises. With a minimum of gestures, he stripped me down to my skin while I kept trying to escape him.

But my legs would no longer hold me up and soon I was naked and lying on the cold flat stone. I watched in horror when he stripped away his white robe revealing his naked body. His cock was huge, hard and dripping in the cool white light of the moon. I prayed to the Lady, the way my mother had taught me when I was a child, that I would wake up from this nightmare safe in Ewan's arms.

The first touch of his hand make me quiver and he drew me towards him, only then seeing the bite on my shoulder. "So the little boy is a slut as well. Who'd have guessed that? We'll see what you think of a real cock up that tight little ass of yours, boy."

And without any preparation at all, he bent my knees back and thrust into me. I screamed silently at the horrible pain but nothing of my body seemed to work anymore. The hot fire of him burned deep inside of me and I couldn't breathe with the weight of him on my chest. That's when I saw the obsidian knife in his other hand. He thrust in and out, raping me brutally but it was odd because I couldn't feel it anymore. 

My spirit seemed to look down on the priest and the body that I'd so lately worn. I heard my mother call my name and the light of the moon blazed brighter than the noonday sun. I turned towards her voice but spared one last look over my shoulder in time to see the knife plunge deep into my heart. The last link to the other world snapped and I floated towards the loving voice of my mother, sparing one last thought for my poor lover.

But Mother was there hugging me close and calling me her little dove, the way she had when she was alive. I threw my arms around her and called her name. But part of me knew that I had to remember what had happened for sometime, I would need that knowledge. And walking into the Moon's bright light, I knew that soon my Ewan would be joining me for our love would link us together forever.

************ 

I woke with tears on my cheeks and a distressed lover calling my name. I held onto him tightly and he rocked me slowly, scattering kisses over my face. In a whisper, I told him of the dream and what had happened to the first Edward. Neither of us had any doubt that the younger brother had continued the chain that linked the Wenton family to the bloody sacrifices at the stones.

"We'll find a way to stop him, Ned." Carson kissed me tenderly. "We will."

I prayed that he was right.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dinner and the tour go badly

Carson  
*************** 

I knew how the knights of old felt right before the big tourney. Was there another knight out there could knock me off my horse and take away the prize? I snorted silently, not if I had anything to say about it there wasn't. Ned's dream had been like an ice cold shower. My lawyer's mind took a back seat to the lover in me and I struggled to bring logic to bear on this insane problem of past lives and present sacrifices.

The phone startled me out of the abstraction that I'd fallen into. Stepping to the small desk, I picked up the receiver. "Hello?"

"Mr. Drew, Ian McKinsey here. Is now a good time to give you what I've discovered so far?" The rich burr came across the lines as if he was next door.

The PI I'd hired the day before. Had it only been a day? "Yes, Ian, thanks for getting back to me so quickly. What have you found out?"

I sat in the desk chair while he went through a long list of societies and honors that Sir Thomas had garnered in his forty-three years. We were the same age and I would have sworn he was older. Those deep lines by his eyes must have been put there by something other than age. Financially, he was well to do with investments that paid hefty dividends.

None of this was going to give us an edge and we needed one badly. Then a name came to my ears, one that I'd heard before. But where? He kept talking and I asked him to wait a moment while I racked my brain. Ned had finished getting dressed and he mouthed a question at me. Covering the mouthpiece I gave him the name and he smiled.

"That's one of Avery's coven that he told us about."

"Ian, what board was Sir Thomas and Lord Summers on?" He repeated the name of the company and I smiled a cold, hard smile. We had the leak in Avery's coven. I heard him out and thanked him sincerely for all he'd uncovered. We agreed to meet when we returned to London and I sent up a fervent prayer that we'd be able to do so.

Hanging up, I immediately dialed out to the number that Avery had given us. Two rings later, I had him on the line and gave him the connection between his coven member and Sir Thomas. He cursed roundly and told me once again to take great care while he took care of the leak. I was vindictive enough to hope that whatever they did, it would be very, very painful.

I didn't like feeling that way but at the moment I only had enough energy to protect Ned and the girls. Anyone else was on their own as far as I was concerned. Standing, I hugged Ned tight and took a deep breath of his spicy scent . . . then another until I was calmer. He rested his head on my shoulder and kissed the side of my throat gently. We had the armor of our love to protect us and I sincerely hoped that would be enough.

"Love you, Car. I think that I've loved you for centuries."

"I love you, Ned, and I've been loving you for all that time, too." I kissed the soft skin at his temple and felt his pulse through my lips. We rested like that for a long moment until we knew we had to go to face the enemy.

***** 

The manor was handsome but cold, much like our host. Sir Thomas' eyes followed Ned everywhere and I blessed Nancy and George for making sure that he was never alone with the man. The touches were back but every touch was met with a look between us that reminded Ned of the love we'd shared earlier. By the time we sat down to dinner, there was a little crease between Wenton's eyes and I felt a rather vindictive pleasure that his plans were going astray.

Ned and I declined the wine for unspecified health reasons. The girls kept up a happy chatter about the ride they'd had that afternoon. The estate's stable was well known in the County and for the first time, Sabrina came fully alert. The love she bore the horses was quite evident and I wondered what it must have been like growing up in the shadow of her evil father. Perhaps the stable was her escape from the tensions in the manor.

Dinner was good but too heavy for my digestion so I played with my food rather than ate it. Ned seemed to feel the same way and our plates were taken away with more rather than less left on them. The girls ate heartily and I smiled while listening to Nancy be the ditzy blonde for our host. If he truly believed that she had fluff between her ears then she was safe from his machinations. I hoped.

George was at her best, feeding Nancy her lines and smiling exasperatedly when she came up with something really silly. If I just didn't think about them making love, then I had no problem with my little girl's sexuality. Ned would laugh at me, I know, but some things should be sacred and the bond between parent and child was one of them. It's one of the reasons that I had such a hard time believing that a father could sacrifice one of his children, especially the adored eldest.

Poor Sabrina must have lived under a heavy shadow in her short life. We adjourned to their living room for our coffee and Ned brought up the collection of artifacts that Sir Thomas had told us about. The man preened under Ned's gentle questions and he ushered us into the back of the manor for our tour. The room ran across the entire width of the house. Spot lighting accentuated several of the glass cases and the girls crossed to one in particular that held jewelry from the ages. Gold and garnets were the materials of choice and they glittered warmly in the soft light.

The collection was magnificent even I had to admit that. But looking about the room, I wondered how many of the objects had been bought with the blood of innocents. The cases of daggers and swords were a case in point. How many of them had ended the life of a first born son? Was the one that killed Ned in his incarnation as Edward here in a bed of velvet?

I shivered at the cold wind that seemed to sweep through the room. The next case held the remnants of clothing and the different accouterments of fashion. Nancy cooed over a belt buckle as big as my hand, studded with garnets and a crudely shaped dragon. I felt Ned stiffen beside me and followed his gaze to a simple belt made of bronze with a clasp in the shape of two hands.

Our eyes met and I realized what we were looking at, the proof that his dream had been a true memory. That chill wind was back and this time it stayed. We finally returned to the living room but not even the fire in the great stone fireplace could warm me. Ned and the girls didn't seem to be affected, just me and I hoped that I hadn't ingested something that disagreed with me.

The housekeeper brought in a tray of deserts and coffee. Mrs. Hoover was a very severe looking lady in the basic black that seemed to go with the job. There was no affection between her and Sabrina that I could see and I gave thanks once again for the woman who'd taken care of Nancy when her mother died. Hannah was one in a million and I needed to tell her that more often.

The coffee was hot and seemed to finally take the chill off. I stood on the quarried stone tiles by the granite fireplace and had the odd thought that maybe one of the missing stones at Stonehenge had been dragged away, cut and shaped for this house. Sir Thomas had already mentioned that this room was the oldest part of the manor, dating back to the early 1200's.

Ned was looking around as well and I saw a haunted look in his eyes. Yet another memory from his dream, I thought bitterly. The Wentons had a lot to answer for but this time they were not getting their hands on him, I vowed silently. He stayed close to my side and I fought the urge to put my arms around him and never let go. Even Nancy was having a hard time keeping the conversation going. There were so many cross currents that it was dizzying.

Actually, I blinked twice and wondered why the room was expanding and contracting. Ned's exclamation brought my eyes to his and the fear in them made me reach for him. But he wasn't there and I was falling . . . falling . . . into the dark.

*****************   
Ned  
***************** 

I saw Carson turn white and his coffee cup fall from his hands. He tried to reach for me but he was already collapsing when I caught him. My first thought was heart attack and my second was more chilling. Sir Thomas was making vaguely concerned noises but Nancy was at her father's other side, checking his pulse while I cradled him in my arms on the hard stone floor.

She made a show of checking his pockets and finding nothing. "Sir Thomas, would you please call an ambulance? It looks like he's had another small heart attack. He promised me that he'd keep his medicine with him at all times but the vial isn't in his pocket."

Her eyes were telling me to go along with her story and I nodded shakily. "I think it's in the bathroom back at the bed and breakfast. He's been feeling so good that I'm sure he just forgot."

"Humph!" She snorted almost making me smile. "Poor Dad doesn't like to admit to having any weaknesses. Sir Thomas?"

The man was in a real quandary but Sabrina was at the phone, calmly calling their emergency number. Within half an hour, Nancy rode with her dad in the ambulance while I drove George in our rental to the hospital. I was shaking like a leaf when we got there and rushed inside. Nancy was hugging herself and George went to her at once. I wanted to be in the room with Carson but I stopped by the girls and let them hug me.

I was so cold.

It was almost an hour before the doctor came out of the room and took us to the small waiting room. "Miss Drew, your father is resting comfortably. His heart rate is slower than I like but at least he's no longer missing beats."

He questioned us about what Carson had eaten and drunk, his health up to now, any stresses that might have occurred - in short, he didn't have a clue what was wrong with his patient. Nancy was firing on all cylinders and she made up an allergic reaction to shellfish that might be reoccurring. She got him to agree to some blood tests for the 'supposed' allergen and he left after telling us what room he'd be moved to shortly.

"Son of a bitch!" Nancy spoke so quietly that I had to strain to hear her. "I will cut out his heart with one of his own daggers if he's hurt Dad in any way."

George rocked her slowly and petted her hair. "I know, sweetness, I know. Ned and I will hold him down for you." 

I bit my lip until it bled while fear crashed through me. "It's because of me. Sir Thomas is getting rid of my protector."

Then it was my turn to be hugged while I wept with fear and anger. George's croon finally got through to me. "It's not your fault, Ned. It could never be your fault."

And that's when I realized that they didn't know what was going on. Wiping my eyes and blowing my nose, I began the story of our first visit to Stonehenge and everything that had happened since. Well, not quite everything, I left out the sex. It took almost half an hour to tell it all but before they could tell me what had happened on their end, the nurse came to take us to where Carson had been moved.

He looked so white and still lying there in the narrow metal bed. The room was freezing or maybe it was just me but Nancy shivered too and looked around for a blanket. George went to get one while Nancy and I took opposite sides of the bed so we both had a hand to hold. I cradled his hand between my own and rested my cheek against it, moving my lips in little kisses all over the firm tanned skin that I loved.

I had to shut my eyes again against the tears and I prayed silently to my childhood god the way my mother had taught me. Nancy's voice broke the tense silence and I opened my eyes to look at her.

"I was jealous when I knew you were with him. That you were loving him and he was loving you. You had your own home and friends and it felt like I was being pushed aside." She was slowly rubbing some warmth into his other hand. "Sometimes I just wanted to go to him and demand that he love me again. Put me first instead of you."

"He never stopped loving you, Nancy. You're his daughter, his treasured and well-loved child." I had to be sure she knew that.

"I know that with my head, Ned." She grinned a lopsided smile and shook those golden curls at me. "But my heart was a different matter. Sometimes when George and I were lying in bed after making love, I wondered if the two of you are doing the same thing. That's when I knew that I needed to grow up. Dad is a man with needs and desires that he put away for a very long time so he could be there for me while I was growing up. He put me first always and I never doubted his love and support. But now, it's his turn to be first in somebody's life."

"He'll always be first in my heart." I watched the strong features of my sleeping lover. "We can't have children of our own so I won't ever know what it's like to be a father. But I know that I'm loved, truly loved for the person that I am. Sometimes I look at him and see a gray hair or hear him complain about a stiff joint and I know with horrible certainty that he's twenty-one years older than I am and some day I'll lose him. And I don't ever want to lose him because I can't be without him. I just can't."

"We're pretty lucky, aren't we, Ned?" She had tears in her eyes. "We're loved by two wonderful people. We'll take the future one day at a time, okay?"

I nodded, unable to say another word. Carson's mortality seemed very fragile at the moment while the discrete monitor above his bed beeped reassuringly. George came back with a blanket and we covered him with it. Then they told me about what they'd seen and heard while at Wenton Manor. They wanted to know more about the dreams we'd both had and I gave them as much detail as I could without blushing.

The night passed slowly and still Carson didn't wake up. In fact, he seemed to settle even deeper into the coma he was in, his heart slowing further. At dawn, I realized that I needed to call Avery but there was no answer at either his private number or the museum. All morning, one of us kept trying to get a hold of him. I vaguely wondered if there had been a problem with the coven and the unmasking of Lord Summers. But it just wasn't important.

Sir Thomas called to see how Carson was and George took the call since neither Nancy nor I could be civil to the man. Lunch came and went. The girls took turns freshening up in the nearest bathroom and finally they made me do the same. I hated being away from him but I did feel better once I'd brushed my teeth with a loaner toothbrush and splashed my face. 

Coming back to the room, I nodded to Nancy and tried to get a hold of Avery again. But this time he picked up the phone. I told him what had happened and where we were and he promised to come right over. That made me feel a little better and I told Nancy that reinforcements were on the way. She chuckled and said that all help was gratefully received.

When I asked where George was, she said that Sabrina had brought their overnight case to the hospital and she was taking a shower in the nurse's lounge. When she got done, Nancy would take her turn. Shortly after that George reappeared in different clothes and sent Nancy off while I told her about our reinforcements.

Avery arrived shortly after that and he went straight to Carson and put his hand on his forehead. The room went completely silent except for the beeping monitor until slowly but surely a faint sound of drums came to my ears. "Ned, call to him. Ask him to come back to you."

George moved aside and I stepped back to the bed, taking his hand in mine and holding it to my cheek. "Carson, wake up. Come back to me, love. I love you and I need you to wake up now. Please, Carson, wake up."

The drumbeat got louder and his skin flushed a rosy color while the beep sped up until it seemed to be in time with mine. I called his name again and yet again and I saw his eyelids begin to twitch like they did sometimes when he was dreaming. I held onto his hand and felt like crying when his eyes fluttered open before closing again.

"Ned." So faint I could hardly hear him but I brought my lips down to his ear and said his name with all the love I was feeling. I heard George leave the room to get Nancy but all I could concentrate on was watching those blue eyes I loved so much open again and come right to me.

"Ned, we need to talk." Avery's voice seemed to come from far away while Carson and I communed silently with just our eyes. "Ned!"

We both looked at him and I finally saw the rumpled clothing and the bristles that meant he hadn't shaved recently. He looked like he'd had a night out but the pain in his eyes reminded me that he'd probably just come from a confrontation with someone he'd once counted a friend.

"Lord Summers was indeed the traitor and he told us that the ceremony will be held at midnight within the circle at Stonehenge. I don't know why Carson was attacked but I suspect that he was gotten out of the way so Ned would be alone and friendless. All we have to do is keep him safe until after the ceremony . . ."

George flung the door open and dashed inside. "Nancy's gone. The bathroom was empty with the shower still running."

Sir Thomas had Nancy. With her, he had the perfect hostage. All he had to do was offer to exchange her for me. I looked down at Carson and saw the fear that he couldn't hide. His little girl was in the hands of a madman and all he could do was watch either her or me die. His daughter or his lover, I couldn't make him choose.

"I'll go."


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bad situation gets worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonus points to anyone who gets where Dahok if from.

********* Nancy ********* 

I was pissed, really and truly pissed. Not only was I spread-eagled naked on a cold tile floor, the stupid naked men circling me were chanting Latin in a singsong that made my ears itch. Itching, oh great, now I had an itchy nose and no way to scratch it. I concentrated on being pissed because otherwise I was going to have to admit that I was scared right out of my little blonde mind.

Anger was warming. Fear was cold. And right then I needed warm because I wanted my Daddy and I wanted him now. Better yet, I wanted George and Ned to come through that black door with automatic weapons and mow these bastards down to the ground. All of them except Sir Thomas, him I wanted on his back so I could carve out his heart and present it to his Dark God.

Dahok, what kind of a stupid name was that to be chanting over and over?

"Well, my dear, how kind of you to offer yourself as a sacrifice today." His voice came from above me and I looked up to see him standing at the edge of the circle they'd just finished drawing around me. His cock was standing to attention and I shivered at his size. "We haven't had a virgin sacrifice in a hundred years."

"Go to hell, Wenton. I'm not a virgin so why don't you just let me go?"

His chuckle was chilling. "I don't count your rutting with your female companion. Georgie," he drawled her name and I went cold all over. "No, we'll take care of that other virginity before we kill you. Your sacrifice will please Him. Not as much as the welcome sacrifice of young Ned, of course. Still, He should be pleased at the pair of you."

"Ned is safe and you'll never get your hands on him." Oh please, let that be true. Daddy, are you still all right?

That chuckle was even more gloating. "He's on his way as we speak, Nancy. Now that your father is dead he doesn't seem to care what happens to him."

No. I shook deep inside and fought back the urge to scream. He wasn't dead. Dad wouldn't leave me like this. He loves me and he loves Ned and George and Hannah . . . 

The chanting ceased and the air hummed around us as if it were alive. I felt ripples on my skin that started at my feet and slid up my body like a slimy caress. But there was nothing in the circle but me. I shook inside and out while it kept crawling up me until it reached my breasts. I almost bit my tongue through but I saved the scream that I wanted to let loose while it stopped, fondled me a bit then kept on going until I'd been slimed all the way to the top of my head.

Little whimpers sounded loudly in the suddenly quiet room and with a shock, I realized they were coming from me. My skin glowed everywhere, the heat rushing into each pore until I felt as if I was on fire. There wasn't enough air to breathe and I found myself panting to try and get in enough oxygen.

"Good . . . good." Sir Thomas was licking his lips and the lustful look in his gaze made me want to throw up. "Rest there, Nancy, while we go and prepare the sacred stones for your deflowering. Think about how good it will feel when all of us come inside your body, preparing the way for Lord Dahok to take your body and your life."

Great . . . just great, I wasn’t only going to be raped but gangbanged. My eyes swept the circle of suddenly grinning men and I shuddered at the variety of cocks from small to jumbo size. I really would be dead by the time they got through with me. Somehow I just knew that their god would be bigger than anything I'd seen yet.

Closing my eyes, I tried to still the tremors that racked my body but the heat was getting worse and I could feel my vagina begin to drip with arousal. If it kept up, I'd probably welcome the rape. Breathing slowly, I panted through all the prayers I'd ever heard or prayed in my life. ‘Mother, help me.’

I needed a miracle in the worst way.

********* Carson *********

The doctors were adamant that I needed to stay in the hospital for observation and I agreed that it needed to at least look like I was still there. There was no way in hell that I could stay behind while the others raced off to rescue Nancy. The very thought of her in Wenton's hands made my blood boil and there was absolutely no way that Ned was getting anywhere near that bastard without me by his side.

Avery didn't even try to argue, just picked up the phone and called in one of the Inspectors of the local law. His coven boasted several powerful warlocks. A very quiet spell was cast on the room once Ned and George helped me out of it. For a moment, I saw myself in the bed with them on each side of me. When I tested the air at the doorway, a message came through loud and clear.

Everything was fine. I didn't need to go inside.

Interesting but something I'd think about later. My strength was returning slowly and by the time we got to the back entrance of the small hospital, I was walking unassisted. Ned and George were quiet but her hands were trembling. I couldn't tell if it was fear or anger but I well knew how she felt since I felt the same way. Inspector Shiller had brought a windowless white van and we all got inside for the trip.

Once on our way, I reached out and hugged George to me. She was stiff as a board at first but then she melted into my arms and began to cry silently. I rocked her much as I would have a younger Nancy. George's quiet competence had always endeared her to me but once I knew about their relationship, I'd begun looking for other things I'd missed.

She was much more intelligent than any of Nancy's other girlfriends, with a sardonic sense of humor and good skills as a conversationalist. This trip had opened my eyes to other traits, too. She moved like a sleek jungle cat, often smelled of a subtle musk, wore her clothing with flare and looked like a dark-haired Princess Grace. Once or twice I'd come very close to an illicit fantasy about her.

Ned had just laughed when I confessed that to him and teased me by spinning a tale that involved all three of us. Scheherazade had nothing on my lover when it came to bedtime stories. But right now, she was just a frightened girl who needed our reassurance that everything would come out all right. Heaven knew that I was in need of that, too.

"Listen up, everyone." Inspector Shiller called over his shoulder. "We're going to a place very near the stones where we'll meet the others and get ready for the coming confrontation. Nothing will happen until they bring Nancy to the circle. She is safe, right this minute and will continue to be safe until she's introduced to the stones."

"Believe us when we say that she's probably uncomfortable but not hurt." Avery assured us and I felt George slowly pull away. "I don't know any other way to ask this, Carson. Is she a virgin?"

I looked at George and watched her nod. "We've been partners since we were fifteen. We've . . . played around a bit but only with other girls."

He nodded. "Then they're expecting to deflower her before offering her to their dark god. That changes the dynamics a bit because they probably know by now that Ned isn't a virgin. But he has the Wenton blood markers so he'll fulfill a different need for Sir Thomas."

A surge of anger almost escaped me but I held it back with difficulty. Ned seemed to know without even looking what I was feeling and I felt his hand slide into mine. I held on hard while trying to calm myself. I wouldn't be any good to Nancy or him if I let myself go to pieces. My vision blurred for a moment and I swayed into Ned then into George. They both took hold while I shook my head to clear the mist.

"Here, Carson, drink some more of this. It's a good counteragent to the potion that Wenton fed you." Avery unscrewed a thermos cup and poured out some of the fragrant tea that Ned and I had drunk earlier.

I drank it down quickly even though it was still very hot. Its fragrance cleared my sinuses and the heat raced through my body. I welcomed the warmth and opened my eyes to watch Avery pour some for everyone.

"Is this why the potion didn't kill me?" I had to ask even though my blunt words made Ned shiver.

"Quite right, Carson. The herbs provided enough defense that I was able to get there in time to stop it completely. We'll need its strength in the next few hours." Avery nodded. "This will be a test of all of us if we're to keep their dark lord out of this physical plain. I expect that Sir Thomas has two plans working. One, he needs to ensure his primacy in Britain’s magical circles and gather in the power that comes from sacrificing one of his blood to his god. Second . . ." he paused.

"Well, I hate to say it but he may be tempted to continue his line using Nancy as his consort and mother of his children. It's unfortunate but Sabrina is sterile and can't continue his legacy."

"There is no way in hell that he'll use my daughter that way." I said through gritted teeth. "Nancy won't stand for that."

"She wouldn't have a choice, Carson. The power raised tonight would quite effectively wipe her memory clean and leave Sir Thomas a blank slate to write his will upon." Avery gently shook his head. "But that won't happen if we can possibly stop it."

We would stop that, I told myself silently. The old gods would not be so cruel as to take my beautiful daughter and my shining lover. If a sacrifice had to be made then let it be mine. I gritted my teeth and sent forth a prayer to any gods listening that they take me instead. ‘Save my beautiful girl and the man who holds my heart. Take me in their place.’

And something surged through me, heat that sought and found my heart. It beat wildly for a moment and I pressed a hand to my chest, wondering if it could take the strain. But it slowed to a normal beat while the tension left my limbs, leaving me feeling better than I ever had. 

//Do thou accept my presence, my son?// 

It sounded like my dead father’s voice for a moment and I cast my gaze around the van, already knowing that none of the others had spoken. If the old gods truly existed then I needed their help.

//I accept. Please help my children.//

********* Ned *********

I’d gone beyond scared to numb. They had Nancy, my lover’s daughter and one of my best friends. I wasn’t scared for me anymore but for her and Carson. This whole situation had gone beyond cops and normal law. Avery was still talking about Druidic customs and ritual sacrifice when I felt Carson start and press his hand to his chest.

Oh god, no . . . not a heart attack for real. I looked into his eyes anxiously and watched them change from blue to liquid silver. Blinking, I suddenly knew that I wasn’t looking at Carson anymore. His lips curved upward and his warm hand cupped my chin while a voice sounded in my head even though his lips didn’t move.

//Will thee allow another to share thy body for this battle, my brother?//

Share my body with what . . . or who? I licked my lips and nodded, Carson wasn’t going to be alone for . . . whatever this was. For a moment nothing happened then warmth started creeping up my legs until I felt flushed all over. Someone else was there in my brain, whispering magic while power seeped out of every pore until I was shining with it.

Lugh, I was now the god of light. And I was looking into the eyes of my fellow god, Dagda, the god of earth and our All-Father.

We need two more to raise the power needed to keep the Dark One from breaking free of his ancient bindings.

I nodded and looked at George. She was looking back and forth between us with a look of awe on her beautiful face. //Sister, will thou join us to save our world?//

George blinked once, searching our eyes before slowly nodding. She closed her eyes and shivered once before stretching all over like a cat. Opening her eyes, they matched ours with shining silver. //What of our sister waiting to be sacrificed? Can Brigid reach her through the wards?//

//Lasair, beloved sister, once we breach the outer wards, our daughter will be able to enter the little one.// Carson/Dagda reassured her and I felt the shimmering presence that was the goddess of our sacred flame, just waiting to come through the veil between the worlds.

“Carson?” Avery turned and spoke from the front seat. “Dear God.”

“Worry not, Priest, thy circle will have our aid until this threat is vanquished.” Carson/Dagda answered him.

“All of you . . . are . . . who?” Avery’s voice shook while his eyes darted between us.

Carson/Dagda chuckled. “I am Dagda, Ned hosts Lugh and our sister Lasair fights with us.”

“Oh,” he blinked while the police inspector beside him gulped and gripped the wheel tightly. I threw out a tendril of energy to keep the van on the road while he came to terms with the appearance of gods from his mythology.

“The Shining Ones,” Avery murmured and when I looked at my fellows I could see what he meant.

Human bodies aren’t made for housing the power of the gods and we were leaking energy in shimmering cascades of light. We were literally shining through the frail skin of our hosts. That could be a problem since we needed to get inside the sacred circle before revealing ourselves. 

Carson/Dagda chuckled again. “We shall cloak ourselves until we are within.”

And in my mind I felt him stroke a spot until I saw only tanned flesh clothing me. I stretched a little and decided that this modern lightweight cloth was quite comfortable. The inspector had himself under control again and we sped towards the Well of Power where we’d been worshiped for so many human centuries.

Already I could feel the power flowing all around us. With Lugh’s eyes, I saw the bright beam of light that encompassed a hectare of the plains where once we’d played with our children, the mortals of our fair isle. Things had changed but not the Well of All-Power that nourished the gods and other immortals. It had been years since I’d sipped from the Well and after we punished the power-hungry mortals who’d played in things beyond their comprehension, I would enjoy drinking from its never-ending energy.

And perhaps we would take the time to sport on the mortal plain in these fit bodies, I thought to my liege lord and caught a speaking glance from his sparkling eyes. // We shall see, beloved brother. This body knows thee well.//

//And this body knows thee, also.// I cast my own look and felt his spark of desire warm me.

//My brothers, the little one is under duress almost beyond her capability to withstand.// George/Lasair admonished us and when I cast out a tendril of power I found her small flame surrounded by darkness.

//Thou hast the right of it, beloved daughter. Brigid, art thou ready?// Carson/Dagda cast forth his thought like an arrow of light and an answering arrow from beside the well came back.

The van stopped near a stone that glowed with light from the sinking red ball of our sun. We emerged into a group of mortals who had already raised a small ring of power. Their circle was one we’d helped in the past and it took but a heartbeat to triple the energy that flowed between them. They turned as one to face us and their surprise was complete when they realized who we were.

Carson/Dagda gave them our names with thoughts directly into their minds along with directions of what needed to be done. They were good-hearted mortals and I could sense their determination to rescue the little soul trapped by our outcast brother and his minions. It took but a moment to form them into an unbreakable circle that could deal with the mortals outside the Well.

It was time to confront the greedy ones. We cloaked our true natures and began the walk to the stone circle. My sister and I flanked our father, striding across the tall grasses that covered the plain. So many years had passed since last we’d simply walked upon our Mother the Earth. Taking a form took more energy than we usually cared to use up for such a frivolous purpose.

But it felt good to stretch out long legs and feel the air flow in and out of my lungs. I was looking forward to taking on my bastard brother, Dahok. It had been a while since I’d had a good fight.

And I was looking forward to this one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: The gods mentioned are all Celtic gods and goddesses.
> 
> Dagda is the god of earth and treaties who rules over life and death. He’s the leader of the Tuatha De Danann. One of his names means ‘All-Father’.
> 
> Lugh is the Celtic lord of skill. His animal attribute is the lynx. Fertility magic during his festival ensures the ripening of crops and a good harvest.
> 
> Lasair is the Flame, one of three sisters and the goddess of spring budding. She has long black hair and always wears silver. She eventually became a Christian saint.
> 
> Brigid, the daughter of Dagda, is a three-fold goddess whose symbol is fire. She forged King Arthur’s sword, Excalibur and her festival is Imbolic on February 1st.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gods intervene and there's a sex orgy. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mention of the rape of an underage female by her father.

********* Nancy ********* 

I was on fire and not even the move to a car could put out the flames. The air felt good on my heated skin but I was no longer in control of my voice so I didn’t even whimper when the clammy hands stroked me while they lifted me onto a leather seat. My eyes wouldn’t focus at all but I knew when Lord Wenton slid in next to me.

His presence was like a black hole at my side, sucking out all the air around me. All my will seemed to have been pulled right out of me. I was falling and I was afraid of what would happen when I hit the ground. Maybe I would just vanish and finally escape this creep who was fondling my breasts. Daddy, where are you?

“Father, do you really think that Our Lord will be pleased with a flawed offering?” A female voice brought me back a little.

“She’s perfect in every way, not like you, Sabrina.” His hateful voice had so much spite in it that I wanted to smack him.

“Yes, Father, I know that I’m quite beyond repair.” Her voice was as calm as if she was presiding over the tea table. “But He did say that he wanted one unflawed sacrifice since Ned isn’t quite like . . . Marcus.”

Lord Wenton snarled and I felt his hand leave my body with a sigh of relief. “If he’s pleased with Nancy and doesn’t kill her then I shall ask that she be given to me. My first born were quite worthless. We’ll see if a new wife will give me better.”

“She won’t, Father.” Her voice was certain and I silently applauded her – damn straight I wouldn’t let him.

“She won’t have a choice, Sabrina.” His oily voice made me want to kick him. “Her mind and spirit will be quite gone once Our Lord takes her. She will be nothing but a hollow vessel ready for anyone to claim her. This time I won’t stop at two children but let this little brood mare give me four or more.” His hand was stroking over me again and I shivered at his loathsome touch.

“As you say, Father,” Sabrina said submissively.

NO, I wanted to yell out but nothing was working anymore. I felt like a lump of clay that some potter was shaping into a vase. But it wasn’t flowers that I’d be holding but Lord Wenton’s seed. George and I had talked about children and I know that we wanted some eventually but how two women could do that, we didn’t know. Adoption was probably an option but without a marriage certificate, did we even stand a chance? I wasn’t going to be finding out if I didn’t get out of this. Ned, George, please come and find me.

The car stopped and I felt Lord Wenton pick me up and slide from the back seat. My head hung down and I watched the ground move beneath his feet. I’d never been motion sick before but I was getting dizzy now. Suddenly warmth touched my mind and I felt a different kind of fire.

//Little one, give me leave to enter thy body so we may fight this evil one? Our father is on his way to help thee along with my brother and sister.//

I didn’t even stop to think just said // yes.//

And warmth flooded me with a clean fresh fire that burned away the slime that the Dark Lord had left in me. It was all I could do not to moan in relief. Who ever she was, she was good and ready to fight the bad guys. And part of her was showing me three shining figures a distance away. Dad was all right and he was coming with Ned and George.

I just had to hang on until they got here. I felt Wenton lay me down on something cold and hard. My eyes could just barely see the towering stones around me but the entity inside of me was taking in great big gulps of what felt like pure energy. And suddenly it wasn’t cold, hard rock but a warm sea that cradled my body.

//Ah, it’s been too long since we last drank at the Well of All-Power. Hurry my brothers and sister. He is all ready here.//

I felt a great weight on my body and mind like the creeping feeling from the circle. But the me that wasn’t . . . Brigid that was her name, was tucked safely in a warm place inside my own mind. It was so odd to look to the right and see my family walking towards the circle. Family in both senses of the word. There was Dad, Ned and George but they were also Dagda, Lugh and Lasair.

“They approach, Master.” Lord Wenton’s voice was deferential and the presence lifted itself from me. I watched the black cloud envelope him and a shriek of pure agony escape him while he writhed about six feet above the ground.

//Dahok always was a show-off. It doesn’t have to hurt when one of us temporarily inhabits one of our little mortals.// Brigid sounded disgusted while I was trying not to cheer at the thought of Wenton getting back a little of what he’d dished out. The screams finally tapered off and Lord Wenton stood on his own two feet. But it wasn’t really him any longer. The humans just outside the circle of stones prostrated themselves before the cold shining figure that seemed eight feet tall.

“Come, little ones, come and join with me.” His voice rang out clear and cold.

********* Carson ********* 

We breached the shimmering wall of light and stepped inside the Well. Nancy lay naked on the altar stone and the father in me gave a snarl of hatred that was calmed by Dagda. //She is safe, little brother. Brigid will hold her away from any harm.//

I nodded and felt the cloak that kept the gods safe from Dahok’s sight fall away. Lord Wenton was shining also and I felt the pulse of his dark power all around us.

//Well, well, how kind of you to come and help me celebrate my coming-out party?// Wenton/Dahok snarled. //Isn’t this against the rules, my father?//

Dagda shook our head. //Your sentence is not yet complete, Dahok. An eon is not enough for the crimes you committed against our family.//

Part of me could see the acts that he’d committed and my soul recoiled from the darkness. A brief tendril of energy calmed me and suddenly I felt the energy of the Well begin to suffuse my whole body. It was like taking a bath in warm mineral springs. Everywhere it touched, I tingled. When I looked down, I saw that we were all naked, just like my little girl.

I looked over and saw her gracefully sit up and stretch before wrenching my eyes away from her glowing self. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ned/Lugh begin to edge his way to Wenton/Dahok’s left while George/Lasair headed for his right. Within the space of a heartbeat, we had him bracketed in our own circle.

//Son, it’s time for you to go back.// Dagda told him, raising my/our hands and sending forth a laser beam of green light that bounced right off Wenton/Dahok’s chest.

//I’m not going back, Father,// he spat the words out and sent a red beam of light back at us. //And you can’t make me.//

A shield appeared in front of me/us and the red energy bounced in time to meet a blue beam from Ned/Lugh. // Sorry, little brother, but you can’t come home yet.//

Wenton/Dahok spit fire and sent out more beams from both hands at us. But George/Lasair had joined in with a bright orange beam of her own that hit Wenton/Dahok low and made him falter for a brief instant. The energy in the Well was glowing all around us by the time Nancy/Brigid sent forth her bright yellow beams.

I don’t know what it looked like from outside the Well but the humans were too busy fighting each other to notice the explosion of colors that shimmered all around us. Wenton/Dahok swelled larger and larger while he drew on the power of the Well to fuel his blows.

I’d have been worried but part of me understood what the four gods were doing. I/We took a particularly nasty hit and I/we faltered for a heartbeat before Ned/Lugh and Nancy/Brigid combined their beams to knock the feet out from under Wenton/Dahok. He floated in the air for a moment but just long enough for the four to take a steady stance and call forth the power of the Well.

Pure energy flowed up my legs and throughout my whole body. Inviting Dagda in had felt wonderful but this was like breathing in pure oxygen. For a moment, I was one with the Well and Dagda. Dazed, I looked out of my/our eyes and saw Dahok s body begin to swell with that energy. Bigger and bigger he grew while he twisted and turned in the super-heated air.

//NO! NO!// He shot red beams everywhere but the four gods just absorbed them and let them flow into the Well. He was now a glowing mass of red energy that burned white-hot. // Father!//

And I felt the pain of the god who had first banished his way-ward son to his prison of stone. //It is not yet thy time, my son.//

I had to close my inner eyes, the light was so bright. Suddenly, a super nova seemed to go off within the Well and I felt weightless. Slowly the light dimmed to manageable proportions. Taking a quick peek, I found the Well was back to normal, well if normal was a shimmering white light that made it look like high noon. Wenton lay on the ground like a doll who’d lost his sawdust.

Out of the corner of my eye, I/we saw Sabrina stagger to her father’s side and kneel down. Dagda’s knowledge of her childhood was complete and I now knew it also. Wenton had raped her when she was eleven for the power he could gather and continued to abuse her for the next ten years. She was truly sterile and I saw that had been a gift from her patron goddess.

But I had to watch helpless when she raised an obsidian knife and plunged it into his heart. “No more, Father.” She stabbed him again. “Never again.”

She rocked back and forth, keening over his body while shudders racked her frail frame. I heard Dagda call for our sister, Epona. A beautiful dark-haired shape appeared next to Sabrina and I felt rather than heard her ask permission to enter. And she calmed the moment she began to glow.

“My lord, do we have your permission to take his body?” I/we heard Avery call out and I/we turned to the circle of light that had been fighting the dark wizard’s circle.

“Yes, take him and clear the plain. Treat his daughter with care. She will remember nothing of what happened. Sister, will thou stay with her until she is healed?”

“Yes, Father, this little one will finally know peace.” Sabrina/Epona arose and brought the body of the dead wizard with her, floating along in front of her while she exited the Well.

********* Ned ********* 

A good fight, Lugh was pleased with the results. //Ho, little brother, that was well done. We don’t get to interfere much anymore. This world isn’t ours any longer. Still, I miss it sometimes.//

His thoughts were tinged with nostalgia and I could understand a little what he was feeling. Our world was going to look a little different to me from now on if I was allowed to keep these memories. He chuckled. // No fear, little brother, if you wish to keep the memory of this battle, you may.//

I blushed and cast a quick look at Carson/Dagda hugging both Nancy/Brigid and George/Lasair. //Now there’s a pretty sight. Been awhile since we all got together like this.//

I got the impression that the gods didn’t get together much since they each had their own worlds to oversee. Dagda turned his head and beckoned me/us over to join them, which Lugh did hastily. Sliding his/our arms around Nancy/Brigid and George/Lasair, I could feel my/our body begin to glow.

//Our human hosts have several needs that we may grant.// Carson/Dagda thought to all of us. Nancy/Brigid blushed while George/Lasair wiggled just a bit. //Children are wanted by our sisters while Ned wants Carson to have a longer lifespan and Carson wants Ned to have everything his heart desires.//

It was my turn to blush but those twenty years between us had always worried me. Carson/Dagda stroked my/our cheek. //These desires are easily granted but I am not quite sure of mortal law. We don’t like inbreeding although we have occasionally succumbed to it in our family. But if Ned were to breed with Nancy and Carson with George, surely that would be a solution for the children-desire. I think that you would be agreeable to that, yes?//

I don’t think my eyes could have gotten any bigger. Lugh was asking my opinion and I didn’t know what to say. Children had always been kind of a far-off dream that wasn’t going to happen with Carson. But at one time, I had had a dream or two about Nancy and what it might be like to make a family. Carson had all my heart and I wouldn’t do it if it hurt him in any way.

The girls were looking at each other and I could tell they were talking to each other through their goddesses. //Carson, do you want this? To create a bigger family with Nancy and George?//

//Not if you don’t want to, Ned. I love you all but my heart is yours. Being a father is one of the best things I’ve ever done, beloved. You deserve to know that feeling as well, if you wish it.//

I turned to the girls and asked them the same question. They looked at each other and then at us. George spoke first,// we love you both and we do want children. If Carson and I married then our children would be legitimate.//

Nancy spoke next, //I want children with all my heart but I don’t want to give up George to have them. If Ned and I marry then our children can be raised together with yours.//

It was my turn again. // I could build us a big enough house that we could each have a private wing with the children’s rooms between us. I think I’d like that.//

Carson/Dagda began to glow a little brighter. //My own, I think I would like that as well. George, are you sure about bonding with me? I’m much the older.//

//I never fantasized about Ned, Carson but I certainly have about you.// George began to glow brighter when she stepped closer to him and laid a hand on his chest. //I know how good a father you have been and I want that for our children. Nancy will always be my soul mate but in time we could be lovers as well as friends.//

Nancy moved closer to me, yellow light haloing her beautiful body. //One of my favorite fantasies was making love to Ned while George and Daddy lay next to us, also making love. George is first in my heart but you’ve been my friend for just as many years.//

I took a deep breath and pulled her closer. //Then I think we should seal this bargain with a kiss.//

It was strange to be kissing Nancy but it felt good, too. Her breasts pressed against my chest and that felt distinctly odd but I thought I might just like it. Lugh and Brigid were participating in our kiss but I decided to just concentrate on Nancy and forget about our passengers. Her arms were around my neck and her mouth opened under mine so my tongue could surge against hers.

The heat was rising all around us and I picked her up in my arms so I could lay her down in the soft grass of the inner circle. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Carson doing the same thing with George and that picture made it even hotter. Nancy’s thighs opened under me so I was cradled by her hips. She was already dripping with arousal and I rocked against her gently while my cock slipped just a little ways into her tight sheath.

“Oh gods, Ned, do something. Anything but just put out this fire.” Nancy’s head moved restlessly against the grass. 

“It might hurt since you’ve never had a . . . cock there before.” It felt odder than odd to be talking like this to her.

“That’s sweet, Ned, it really is but I want all of you right now.” Her eyes were glowing the same shade of blue as Carson’s and the need there was overwhelming.

So I took a deep breath and thrust deep. She shrieked once and I stilled to let her get used to me. At almost the same moment, George did a little screaming of her own and we both looked over at our lovers. Carson was buried deep inside her and George’s legs were clasped around his waist to keep him there. That was hotter than hot to watch and we both shivered.

I knew how good that big cock of his felt and from the way that George’s eyes had rolled back inside her head, she now knew it, too. Turning back to Nancy, I concentrated on making her feel as good as George felt. Slowly I pulled almost out then thrust back in again. She sighed and wiggled her hips, moving one leg around my waist so my angle was a little bit different.

She was hot and wet and so tight around me that I had to think cold thoughts to keep going and not come prematurely. Nancy was moaning a little and I decided to see about that nipple sensitivity that George had talked about. Carefully, I took a plump nipple into my mouth and flicked my tongue over it. She shrieked again and her hands came to my head to hold me there

********* Carson ********* 

Part of me thought this was a dream that I might awaken from but another part of me was making sure that George had all of me deep inside of her. When had the dream of expanding my family become a reality? The odd fantasy or two about George had coalesced to this, my cock buried so deep inside of her it felt like I could touch her heart. Her eyes were open and glowing into mine.

“I’ve got you all, Carson. We’re going to practice this until I get pregnant.” Her hands stroked over my shoulders and down to my nipples where her nails gently scratched until I was on fire. 

I thrust harder and watched her bite her lip. “Once you’re pregnant, will we go back to being just friends?”

She was panting now and squeezing her inner muscles around me until I thought I’d go insane. “I’ve heard . . . oh god yes . . . that pregnant women are horny all the time.”

I chuckled and swiveled my hips a little on the next thrust, before leaning in to tongue her nipples. Her shriek and Nancy’s came at almost the same moment and I couldn’t help but look over to the inspiring sight of my lover balls deep in my daughter. I should have been shocked and appalled but I was neither. They were glowing with love and desire. But so were George and I.

“They look good together, Carson. They’re going to make beautiful babies but no more beautiful than ours.” George’s voice brought me back to her. Her eyes were the color of old sherry and I brushed back a dark curl.

“Our children will be a combination of dark and light. And they will be as beautiful as their mother is.” I finally kissed her and felt a connection that I’d only up to that time felt with my beautiful Ned. She tasted of tea and something tart, perhaps that was her natural taste.

We had all the time in the world, I thought while she clenched around me and came hard. Another thrust and I gave her my seed, deep within her velvet soft channel. Ned groaned beside me and Nancy screamed. I felt all of them within our common bond, mortal and god. I had the odd feeling that more than two pregnancies had been started this night. 

Slowly I collapsed into George’s waiting arms, cradled by her warm and welcoming body. We rested for a long moment, soaking up the energy like sunshine. I found myself nuzzling her throat while listening to her purr. This was going to be interesting when we returned to the real world. Already, my heart was expanding and making plans for our future.

What her parents were going to say to our marrying, I hadn’t a clue. Still, that was a bridge to be crossed in our future, now was for cementing the bond that was growing between all of us. Colored ribbons of energy crossed back and forth between us, tying us together more surely than any ceremony could. Although there would need to be a ceremony to make this mating legal.

We were already bonded by the Well of Power and gods we were hosting. 

//Children, it is time to make our farewells.// I felt myself slip from George and we both groaned at the loss. But I stood and pulled her to her feet, bringing her back into my arms for a hug. Then she and Nancy were holding each other while Ned slipped his arms around me and I felt our bond solidify at the first touch of his lips. Our heart-bond was rock solid and so was the girls.

In time, the four of us would share one, also. By the time our children arrived, we’d be a family in body and heart. But it was time to say goodbye to the gods who had battled on our side. I didn’t want to forget them or what had happened this Lammas Night.

//We thank thee, my friends. Take one last parting gift from us.// I felt Dagda separate from me and stand beside me, a pulsing pillar of green light. The others were also apart and they flowed together into one beam of pure white light.

//Thou shalt love until the end of thy days and thy children will be as happy as thou art this day. Farewell.//

And they were gone and we were alone. No longer naked, we wore white robes of pure silk that felt good on suddenly aching bodies. We really had just made love to each other. I looked into Ned’s eyes and missed being able to talk to him with just my mind.

“You’re all right with this, my love?” I needed to ask.

“Yes, I love you and I love them, too.” He kissed me again and I felt it, the bond that pulsed between us still clear and bright. That was all I needed to know.

We parted reluctantly to find Nancy and George watching us. Opening my arms, I hugged my daughter close and felt her hug me back. “All right, Baby?”

“Better than all right, Daddy.” She hadn’t called me that in years. Thank God she was safe. “I can’t believe how right this feels. I never thought I could share George with anyone. But I trust her with you.”

I felt tears come to my eyes. “Ah, Baby, I wasn’t sure that I would ever trust you with any man but you’ll be safe with Ned.”

“Our wedding night is going to be a beauty.” George said with bright laughter. “Since we both seem to be screamers, we’re going to need a soundproof bridal suite.”

That started us all laughing and we looked around the stones one last time, feeling the energy pulsing beneath our feet. Where ever we were, I thought, we’d always carry some of that power with us. From the darkness of despair, we had a bright future ahead of us. Arm in arm, we left the stones and walked out to face the real world.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They celebrate their survival and figure out their futures. There's a wedding and a hand-fasting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Ned marries Carson and Nancy. Nancy marries George and Ned. Carson weds Ned and George. George marries Carson and Nancy. Whew!

********* Carson ********* 

There were a million and one things to do once we walked out of the stone circle. Inspector Shiller was busy making sure that Lord Wenton’s death was declared a heart attack. A Lady Burrows, one of Avery’s circle took Sabrina under her wing and dispatched the nasty Mrs. Danvers look-alike from Wenton Manor. That home was going to need an exorcism to rid it of the evil that had lived there.

I was going to have the dagger that had killed Wenton and little Edward from our past lives taken out and buried in sacred ground. Maybe Sabrina could be persuaded to donate that whole room’s contents to the Wiltshire Museum, minus those items that had killed or held residue of negative magic. Luckily, one of Avery’s circle was the local Bishop. The Reverend Hardcastle was going to have his work cut out for him. The ripples of the night’s events were spreading out all over England and farther out.

The girls had gone back to the hotel and were sleeping in our suite while Ned and I helped where we could. Ian McKinsey was already on my payroll so I volunteered him for some of the investigation of the survivors of Wenton’s circle. My mind had never worked so well or quickly. One of the things we were going to need was a pair of special licenses if we were to marry immediately.

Marry - that thought still had the power to rock me back onto my heels. At my age was I really contemplating starting a new family? One look at Ned and I could only smile, of course I was thinking of expanding my family. Hannah was going to be beside herself with joy once she knew of the new life we’d created. There was no doubt in my mind that all the females that left the Well were now with child.

Suddenly I had the strongest urge to go and check on them. Excusing us from Avery’s drawing room where the efforts were being coordinated, Ned and I set off for the hotel. Even though we weren’t touching, I could feel him pulsing beside me. If I closed my eyes, I could see blue shimmering all around him. 

“You’re green everywhere, Car. So green that I can almost taste you from here.” His voice was husky and I knew that very shortly I was going to make him scream. His smile told me that he knew it also.

“Hopefully the girls are still sleeping. So we can use the other bedroom of our suite.” I cast a glance at him and watched his gait turn feline between one step and the next. Why the passer-byes didn’t all fall under his spell, I didn’t know. He was sex personified and he was all mine.

Even if the girls were awake, we were still going straight to bed. I needed him more than the air we breathe.

I accepted the concierge’s best wishes for my miraculous recovery from my heart problems. I’d almost forgotten that attack but it seemed to have happened a hundred years ago. I asked her to have the luggage from the Manor brought up when it arrived. Ned’s hand was warm on my back when we finally reached our suite. The left-hand bedroom door was closed so the girls must still be sleeping. Ned kept pushing me on into the right-hand bedroom.

Alone, we were finally alone and Ned was already stripping me out of our borrowed clothing. Avery had the white silk robes we’d been wearing when we left the stone circle. They’d be an interesting souvenir of a most astounding trip. Or maybe we could use them for our weddings?

“Ned, would you like to take vows with me before we marry the girls?” I unbuttoned a few more buttons of the green shirt he was wearing. I loved the way it looked on him so I was already making plans to find one like it for him.

His hands stilled and his look of joy told me that I’d asked the right question. “Avery mentioned something about a hand-fasting ceremony. Their circle holds them for all kinds of couples including two males or two females. It’s the only way that we can marry even though it won’t have any legal meaning.”

“I like it, Ned. You and I can bind ourselves while Nancy and George take their vows.” I pushed the shirt off his shoulders and rejoiced in the golden skin revealed. “You are my mate in all ways. I want to take vows with you in front of witnesses and acknowledge our bond before we take any others.”

“I want that more than anything. Then we can get married for the real world.” Ned had my pants unfastened and they fell to the floor where I could kick them away.

“You’re all right with that, Ned?” I cupped his chin and brought his eyes to mine. “We were ourselves and yet not exactly. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable with this.”

Those beautiful green eyes of his shimmered suddenly. “I love you with all my soul but Nancy has always had a special place in my heart. How do you feel about me marrying your only daughter?”

I pushed his pants off, glad that neither of us had borrowed any underwear. “I trust you with everything I have, including my only daughter . . . well the only one so far.”

He laughed and hugged me tight. “Thank God, we survived this strange adventure, still intact and still in love. Take me to bed and make love to me.”

“I can do that,” I pushed him onto the soft bed and followed him down, luxuriating in the feel of his skin on mine. “I love you, Ned.”

We were going to make love until we passed out. Then we’d get together with the girls and plan a hand-fasting. If I knew them, they were ready for anything.

********* Nancy ********* 

I woke up with a start in George’s arms. Looking around the cozy room, I thanked God that we weren’t at the Wenton manor house. We were safe, all of us and together and that was what mattered. Then why did I feel . . . odd? Checking my body, I felt satiated the same way that I felt after George and I made love for hours. Sudden pictures flashed through my mind and I stilled.

Ned and I had made love . . . on the grass within the stone circle . . . naked . . . next to my father, who was also naked . . . making love with George. Stunned, I tried to come to terms with the last few days. Dad was going to somehow lose the twenty years between him and Ned. Ned was going to have his heart’s desire, which was probably a life with his lover.

George and I were going to have babies.

Babies that might have already been started.

“Sweetness,” her voice was the sleepy one that I loved hearing. “Nancy, are you all right?”

“We may be pregnant.” I blurted out and watched her eyes focus sharply on mine.

“There’s no ‘may’ about it, sweetness.” Her hand came up and tenderly brushed my hair behind one ear. “I’m not sure how but I can feel new life like a tiny light deep inside of me. Close your eyes and reach inside your body.”

Leaning into her hand, I shut my eyes and ‘looked’ at myself, inside and out. I felt strong and healthy, ready to take on a dozen bad guys but deep inside where I could still feel Ned’s cock there was a little . . . ‘hum’ is the best way I could describe it. Instead of a light, I could hear a tiny note of joy. Tears welled up and spilled over my cheeks.

“Nancy!” George’s worried voice made me open my eyes to look into hers. “Sweetheart, it will be all right. We won’t do this if it’s going to upset you.”

Smiling through the tears, I husked out, “Not upset . . . Georgie . . . not really. I wasn’t quite ready for this. But it really could work out for us. We won’t have to be parted ever but we’ll still have the children we wanted.”

She relaxed slowly and kissed me gently. I will never, as long as I live, get enough of her kisses. Our naked bodies slid together so naturally that it felt like the first time all over again. We made love slowly, touching all the spots that felt so good and trading tongues in long wet kisses. It wasn’t explosive like the sex in the circle had been, just true and right. 

I arched my back and came hard, my cry muffled against her dark hair while she suckled at my breast and shook against me. Even if we made love with Ned and Dad now and then, we were still first with each other. I hoped that our soon-to-be-husbands felt the same way.

“Nancy, I’m going to call Aunt Helen and see if she’d be willing to come over to be a witness for the weddings.” George had her thinking look on, the one that made me so hot. “Maybe she could pick out dresses for us to be married in? What do you think?”

“Yes,” I smiled, “I’ve always wanted a Chanel original since we saw that movie with Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant. Do you think she’d be willing to do that for us?”

George chuckled. “She bought us sex toys, love. I’m pretty sure she’d enjoy picking out wedding dresses. Let’s get up and see if Carson and Ned are back. There’s an awful lot to do. We should check on Sabrina, too. I hope she doesn’t remember . . .”

I could still see her driving that knife into his chest and I shivered. “I hope so, too. I’d bet anything that bastard abused her. He said something about her being flawed although I’m not sure how much of our trip to the circle was real. I was feeling really out of it.”

She hugged me tight. “Thank God you’re all right, Nancy. Nothing he did could really touch you, love. You’re safe.”

“I think a very long, hot bath is what I need to put it behind me.” I batted my eyelashes at her. “I’ll need some help though . . . with my back.”

“Really?” Her eyes sparkled down at me. “I guess I better help then.”

She tickled me into laughing before rolling out of bed and stretching all over. I would swear she’s part cat when she does that. But the thought of a hot bath had me sliding out of my side of the bed. All our clothes were still at the Manor and I wondered if we’d have to wear the hastily borrowed pants and shirts until they were delivered. But a knock at our door had me snatching up the bedspread to wrap around me while George quickly slid into the outfit she’d worn earlier.

“Yes,” she opened the door to my dad and a pile of luggage. “Carson, you’re an angel. Thanks for remembering our things. Is the bathroom clear?”

His blue eyes crinkled at her and his smile blossomed at me. “The bathroom is all yours. Inspector Shiller had a constable go and pick up your luggage. Lady Burrows packed it up but if there’s anything missing, we’ll buy new. Avery just called and we’re going back to his home to help out. The repercussions are going to be devastating for this county. Wenton’s cronies were in all the layers of society here.”

“What can we do to help, Carson?” George asked immediately and I joined her, sliding an arm around her slender waist.

“My two angels,” Dad hugged us both and dropped a kiss on each of our heads. “Get cleaned up and have some dinner. When we get back, we’ll have a pow-wow. Are you still willing to marry us?”

Ned had appeared over his shoulder and his lovely green eyes looked into mine. The little ‘hum’ inside of me was made up of my song and his so I had to smile. “We’re still willing. George is going to call her Aunt Helen in Paris to buy our wedding dresses and bring them over so she can be a witness.”

Dad chuckled. “Call her tonight and tell her that price is no object. You’re both too beautiful for anything but the best.” He hugged us close then let go. “Tell her that it needs to be soon. Within the week, I’d like us to be wedded and on our honeymoon.”

“Some place with nothing but us and two wide beds.” George said with her sultry voice and I swear the temperature went up twenty degrees.

“I was thinking of trading our plane tickets for tickets on the Queen Mary if that would meet with your approval?” His eyes sparkled and I noticed that the little lines around his eyes were gone.

His hair at his temples was free of gray . . . I realized that he really had gotten those years back. ‘Thank you, Dagda, from the bottom of my heart.’ As if in answer, the little hum inside of me sang a single note of joy. Whatever else happened, we’d all face it together.

********* Ned ********* 

The week flew by in a blur but I will always remember our hand-fasting. We met in Lady Burrows’ enclosed garden with the scent of roses heavy in the air. The whole coven was there and everyone was dressed in white robes except that ours were the robes the entities had given us. Avery officiated, binding Carson’s and my wrists together with a heavy twisted silver and gold cord then doing the same to Nancy and George’s. He evoked the old gods then stepped back to let us speak our vows.

Nancy was glowing a bright yellow and George’s aura of orange began to merge with hers where they stood hand in hand. “I love you, Nancy. Our lives will be filled with harmony and love. I bind my heart to yours for all eternity.”

“I love you, George. Our lives will grow closer and stronger with each passing day. I bind my soul to yours for all eternity.” Nancy leaned in and they kissed until they burned like a miniature sun beside us.

My hands clasped Carson’s and I could see his vibrant green slowly begin to merge with my blue. “I love you, Ned. Every day we have together is yet one more blessing in my life. I promise you forever and I bind myself to you with love and hope for the future.”

Our auras were surging together but all I could see were his beautiful blue eyes glowing into mine. “I love you, Carson. Our days will be filled with joy and laughter. The love we make will make the world a brighter place. I bind myself heart and soul to you forever.”

We were glowing when we kissed and all I could feel was his lips on mine, sealing our vows with love. When we finally separated a little, I found my arms around his neck. The cords were gone but rings of silver and gold had appeared on our ring fingers. Twisted in an intricate Celtic design, they looked exactly how I would have wanted them to look. The girls had discovered theirs, too and we tangled together in a four-way hug that felt natural.

Avery beamed at us. “Bright blessings on all within and without this circle of love, so mote it be.”

“So mote it be,” the rest of the circle said and we joined in.

We had a celebration party in Lady Burrow’s garden. It was the oddest thing but even though we were often separated, I knew where Carson was every moment. Perhaps the cord was also a psychic one that bound us together, I wondered and thought to ask Avery later. It was a wonderful feeling of being connected to my dearest love.

Two days later, they came together again in Salisbury Cathedral to witness our marriages. Sabrina came to this ceremony and she looked at peace. She remembered nothing but the fact that she was Nancy’s pen pal and they’d had a wonderful visit. Even her father’s death was a sad memory instead of the horror that it had been. We wished her nothing but the best and Lady Burrows had assured us that she was under her protection.

This time Nancy and George wore white lace gowns that brushed the floor with veils that flowed from a simple circle of pearls that wreathed their heads. Carrying bouquets of red and white roses, they were both absolutely beautiful coming down the aisle together to join us at the altar. Aunt Helen, looking very chic in her own Chanel dress, looked on in satisfaction from the front pew. Carson got a little misty eyed when he saw Nancy but he was entitled since she was his little girl.

It felt a bit surreal to me but suddenly I was sliding a diamond in a platinum Celtic knot band onto her finger and saying my vows to her. Listening to Carson say his to George, it finally hit me – we were married. Nancy reached up and kissed me, saying softly, “I know, Ned. I know.”

Well, that made me feel a little better. If it was strange for me, it must be for them, too. It was so odd to feel like I was married to both Nancy and Carson. We’d wear the hand-fasting bands as our wedding rings and that worked for me. We were in this together and I could hardly wait for our honeymoon. 

Carson had successfully changed our tickets to the Queen Mary so we left Salisbury in a rented limo for Dover. Saying good-bye to Helen at the docks, we sent her on in the limo for Heathrow. Together we went through customs with no hassle at all, even with the boxes of books that Carson had bought and meant to ship home. Maybe it was the fact that we were still in our tuxedoes and the girls in their wedding dresses.

The stewards treated us like royalty and Carson swept George up in his arms to cross the threshold of our rooms. Nancy was laughing when I picked her up and carried her into the honeymoon suite. We’d share the front room and split up into the two bedrooms eventually. Right now it was all hustle and bustle while our luggage arrived. 

“Helen sent us champagne,” George was reading the card attached to a silver ice bucket.

“And Avery sent us Thornton chocolates.” Nancy was reading another card with a grin. “He knows us pretty well, doesn’t he?”

Carson laughed and handed over tips before closing the door behind the steward. “Dinner isn’t until 8:00, whatever shall we do with ourselves until then?”

I hugged him tight. “I think we should pop the cork, pick out all the caramel chocolates and then choose a bedroom to celebrate getting married.”

He kissed me hard and I started melting. It had been two days since we’d made love and I needed him badly. When he pulled back, I opened my eyes and looked a little dazedly at him. “I think you’re very right, Ned.” He turned to the girls. “How does that sound to you?”

George was already popping the cork while Nancy held out two glasses. The next few moments were chaotic but finally we all had a glass full of champagne. Carson made the first toast, “To all of us.”

“To the future,” George said next.

“To love and laughter,” I leaned into Carson’s embrace.

“To all our wishes coming true,” Nancy said leaning into George’s side.

We drank to them all then left the stateroom to throw the glasses overboard. Carson said that was better than smashing them as tradition demanded. The great whistle blew overhead and in the distance, the dock seemed to explode with confetti from the lower decks. We watched for a few moments then suddenly it seemed to hit us all at once.

We were married. We were on our honeymoon and a great big suite was waiting for us to make love. Once again, we went inside, put a ‘do not disturb’ sign on the door handle and began shedding clothes. The girls had a million little finicky buttons all down their backs so Carson and I were down to our boxers before they had the first ones undone. I took over Nancy’s undoing while Carson undid George’s.

I didn’t often see Nancy’s nape since she liked wearing her hair down most of the time. But while my fingers were busy, I decided that since I had her neck bare, I should do something about that. Ghosting small kisses from her hairline down to her shapely spine, I made her shiver. She tasted almost as good as Carson did so I kept going over her shoulder blades until I’d finished unbuttoning and could slide it off her.

George was already stepping out of her wedding dress, leaving her in a lacy bra, a tiny garter belt holding up her white silk stockings and her white heels. Nancy wasn’t wearing any more and I slid my arms around her, cupping her breasts in my hands. She shivered and leaned back hard against me. I thumbed her nipples through the lace and she groaned, seeming to swell in my hands.

“Together or separate, my loves?” Carson asked while stroking George’s flat stomach.

“Together, please,” Nancy said and George nodded. “Pick a room then we can switch the next time.”

“Together it is,” I said and picked her up to carry her into the room on the left. Setting her down, we hurriedly pulled the covers off so all that was left was cool crisp sheets. Nancy kicked off her heels but I stilled her hands when she would have taken off her stockings. I was curious as to how they would feel against my skin. Doffing my boxers gingerly since I was hard as iron, I followed her onto the wide bed.

Her scent was drawing me closer and I tongued her lace-covered nipples while she moaned before kissing my way down her body to the source of that wonderful scent. Her mons was shaved and silky smooth against my face. I hadn’t made love to a woman before the circle but I remembered my sex-ed class and I was pretty sure that I knew where her clitoris was.

Moaning told me that I had it right so I spent a few moments tonguing the spot that made her hips shift beneath me. Moving a little lower, I tasted her musk and realized that she was really wet. “Nancy, you ready?”

“Yes,” she pulled my hair up towards her, legs going around my waist. “In me, now.”

I lined up and slowly slid into her wet heat until I could get no further in. “God, Nancy, you’re so tight.”

“And you’re so big, Ned,” she sighed then opened her eyes and smiled up at me. “Make love to me, husband. When I’m as big as a house with our child, I want to remember our wedding day.”

I twitched at that thought. Could I already be feeling protective? Pulling out a little, I thrust back in while laying little kisses all over her beautiful face. Pretty soon we had a rhythm going that pleased both of us and when she tightened around me, her inner muscles rippling all along my cock, we both came. I’d been keeping most of my weight off of her but she tugged me down when my arms began to tremble.

For the first time since we’d reached the bed, I paid attention to Carson and George. He was still moving in and out of her while she flushed from head to toe and moaned so sweetly that my cock started firming again. Nancy giggled and moved her hips a little to encourage me. Just then George’s arched back and soft cry told us she’d come while Carson’s buttocks clenched the way they always did when he came.

I stroked a hand over his back and Nancy stroked George’s arm. They turned their heads to smile at us and I thought how lucky it was that we all liked each other. This wasn’t going to work any other way but all of us sharing ourselves. Impulsively, I leaned over and kissed Carson. He tasted slightly of champagne and George but mostly of himself. And that was my very favorite taste of all.

The girls giggled and George spoke up when we broke apart. “Guys, I think it’s time we switched partners. Nancy and I have always wanted to watch you two make love.”

Carson raised that one eyebrow that always makes me want to trip him into the nearest bed. “Are you sure?”

“Certain sure, Dad,” Nancy split a smile between the two of us. “Ever since we stood under your window on Ned’s graduation night and listened to you make love, we’ve had this little fantasy of watching you.”

Well, that was flattering and kind of hot at the same time, I thought. “I vote we move this to the other bedroom. We need to mess up both of them anyway.”

This was going to be a wedding night to remember.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dreams of the past make their honeymoon even more special.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Elizabeth is fifteen when she wed her Duke so I need to warn about underage. Different times, different customs.

********* Nancy ********* 

I was turning into a total slut. Every whim and desire was met by my lovers. We made love at the drop of a hat. For two days, we didn’t even leave the suite. They brought delicious food to us four times a day and we devoured it all to give us enough energy to make love again.

It was so liberating to satisfy my curiosity about men and their cocks. Ned’s was long and thicker than the leather dildo from Paris. I was practicing my oral abilities and gradually I was learning how to relax the back of my throat so I could get more of him in my mouth. A man’s semen didn’t taste anything at all like my sweet George when she comes on my tongue. But it wasn’t bad, just different.

My favorite way to take Ned in was still having him slide between my legs and thrust deep inside of me. Now that I’d had him, there was no way that our penetrative toys were going to be good enough. Feeling his heat and the little pulse of his cock deep within me satisfied something in my body that I hadn’t known was missing.

George and I talked a little bit about it when we were recovering in the second bedroom without our men. I wanted to make certain sure that she knew she was still first in my heart. She hadn’t laughed just told me that she felt the same. I was still a little embarrassed talking about Dad’s sexuality even having seen the two of them make love right beside me.

She hugged me tight. “Nancy, we love each other with everything we are. But love isn’t small, at least it isn’t for us. I can feel it expanding to encompass Ned and Carson. In a few months when we can feel our babies move, it’s going to get even bigger. There are moments when I crave Carson’s cock like a drug and other times when all I want is to curl up beside you and suckle at your breast.”

I sighed in relief and urged her head down to my nipple. Sighing, I arched a little closer so she’d know to suck harder and bite me gently. “Thank God, I didn’t know how to say it but that’s it exactly. I love you and I don’t ever want you to think that Ned is replacing you. But I just have to admit that when he’s thrusting hard inside of me, I feel so wanton that it’s all I can do not to scream.”

She chuckled and let my plump nipple fall from her lips. “You did scream the last time when you were riding him from on top. Next time you’re in that position, I’m going to get your nipple clamps out and show Ned just how wanton you can be.”

I almost came again at just the thought and she slid her hand between my thighs to rub my clit. I was such a slut, I thought while arching up to get her fingers inside of me. “Ned said something about getting some for Dad because he’s sensitive there, too.”

“Oh, that would be hot, wouldn’t it?” She switched to my other breast and I found one of hers so I could tweak it. “Yes, Nancy, do that again.” I rolled the hard brown nub between my fingers, pinching a little then a little harder when she started panting. “Damn, I think I’m getting more sensitive since both of you have taken to sucking me.”

I had an interesting thought. “Maybe it’s the babies starting to change our bodies. We might both get more sensitive while we’re pregnant.”

Her fingers found that little spot inside of me that Ned’s cock usually found and I heated up even hotter. “It might be, sweetness. Maybe we’ll all need nipple clamps before this honeymoon is over.”

Laughing, I slid a hand to her damp pussy and wiggled my fingers in a little. We were at a kind of awkward angle but that didn’t matter because we were just playing. But I had had an interesting thought. “Georgie, how in the world are we going to make love when we’re both big as houses?”

She nuzzled that spot on my neck that feels so good. “Well, I think we’ll just have to keep Carson and Ned on constant fuck duty when we get too big to pleasure each other. Once we get too big for fucking then we’ll get them to put their tongues to good use. Oh, the way Carson wields that clever tongue of his, he should be in the oral sex hall of fame.”

I giggled. “Well, they don’t call him the silver-tongued devil in a courtroom for nothing.”

She laughed too and rubbed her thumb over my clit. “We’re going to have permanent smiles on our faces once we get home. Between making love with them and watching them make love to each other, we have got to be the two most satisfied women in the US. We’re so very lucky.”

I pulled her into a kiss, sliding my tongue into her mouth and tasting her familiar tartness. If I live to a hundred, I will never get enough of this. I was getting so used to coming that it was only a few moments before the tingle swept over my whole body and made me moan into her mouth. She wasn’t far behind and we shuddered together for a long moment before curling up under the sheet and taking a nap.

We were going to dinner tonight at the Captain’s table and we needed our beauty rest before getting out our wedding dresses and dressing up. The trains were detachable along with the veils so they’d just look like evening wear. It would be fun to dance after dinner with our new husbands. I’ve always loved dancing with Ned and now he was partly ‘my’ Ned so it would be even more special.

********* Ned ********* 

I never thought I’d say it but I was too tired to get it up again. Four days into our honeymoon and I was a wreck. Between Nancy and Carson, I was completely worn out. Who knew how insatiable they’d be? I stretched out on the freshly made bed and fell asleep waiting for Carson to finish saying good-night to the girls.

*** Dream Ned ***

I waited for my lord to come home from the council meeting at the castle. He would probably be in a bad humor since the king was playing fast and loose with the lords of the realm. The servants had readied a bath for him in front of the fire and I was wearing the soft blue robe that he’d brought back from London on his last trip.

The baby was restless tonight and I felt him move inside me with a fond smile. The midwife told me that since I was carrying the babe so high that it was sure to be a boy. I hoped so for my dear lord deserved to have an heir to inherit this vast estate. I walked to the window of the manor house and watched the lane to see if he was coming. Stroking soothing caresses over my swollen belly, I felt myself dampen in anticipation of taking his big, thick cock inside of me.

Since he’d given me this child on the night we wed, I’d become insatiable. We made love morning, noon and night. I thought perhaps he would cease to take me when I grew so quickly in front but he just introduced me to different positions, giving me his cock whenever I needed it. My mother would be appalled at my greed for his body. She’d taught me that making love was a dirty, disgusting business but I was to submit to my husband and pretend that I was enjoying it.

But she was wrong, I hugged my babe to me and felt my nipples peak beneath the silk robe. There, I spotted my lord riding towards me. He wasn’t frowning so perhaps the meeting hadn’t gone too badly. He looked up and saw me through the glass, his dear face relaxing into the smile that is mine alone. Good, he would make love to me tonight. I watched the groom take Beauty’s reins and only stopped looking out of the window when my lord disappeared through the front door.

I crossed to the tub and made sure the towels were warming by the fire. Murmuring to my maid, Agatha I sent her off to bed with a smile and a quip not to wake us too early. My lord entered just as she was leaving and he bade her a gentle good night. Then he was crossing the room to take me in his arms and I melted into him with a sigh. No matter that he’d awoken me with a gentle slide into my depths this morning, I needed him now.

“Little one, you wish something of your tired old husband?” He teased me while his hands cupped my breasts and I ached for him.

“You are not old, my Peter.” My hands began to undo his belt so I could get him undressed. “But after a nice hot bath, I think you should remind me of our wedding night.”

He snorted, “Your mother should be beaten for scaring you like that.” He speedily undressed until he was beautifully naked in front of me. “You enjoy our love making, don’t you, sweet Elizabeth?”

I pressed my swollen body against him, my hand reaching for his beautiful shaft. “I adore both my husband and the wonderful way he worships my body. Even if I’m fat and ungainly.”

“Hush, little one,” he kissed me sweetly before stepping into the tub. “You are not fat, you are beautifully swollen with our child. I think you more lovely today than on our wedding day.”

I scrubbed his back while he cleaned his front. “Bathe quickly, husband, I have need of your sword tonight.”

He chuckled but finished quickly, standing up and reaching for the towel to dry himself. Awkwardly, I tried to stand but I was too heavy to do it easily. He saw me struggling and quickly raised me up into his arms. I love the way his skin feels against mine when we’re both naked. Sweeping me off my feet, he carried me to our marriage bed. It is a large four poster with carven posts and heavy crimson curtains to keep out the chill of winter. But spring had arrived so tonight we would sleep without them closed.

The sheets were soft beneath me and Peter kissed my swollen belly the way he did every morning and night. “Go to sleep little one while I ravish your mother. Sweet Elizabeth, what is your pleasure tonight?”

I grasped his naked shaft. “I wish you to spear me on your sword the same way you did our first time. Give me your strength and pretend that we’re making our child again.”

He kissed me hard, his hands playing with my budding breasts. Since he’d given me a child, they were growing bigger. Agatha had told me that it was the milk starting to move into them. At fifteen, I’d given up hoping that they’d ever get any bigger like my cousin Ilene’s had. All the men loved to look and fondle hers but never mine. No one had wanted me until Duke Peter had asked my father for my hand.

Cousin Ilene was green with envy when that happened. Between her and my mother, I’d been half-scared to death when they all escorted my husband and me to this room. I saw nothing of it that night since all I could see was my tall husband beginning to remove his clothes. I’d never seen a man naked before and when I saw his shaft, I just knew he was going to kill me trying to push it into my body.

But he tenderly undressed me and carried my rigid body to his warm bed while I shook with fear. He brought me a glass of mulled wine from the hearth and made me drink it. The warmth from the wine stilled some of my fears but it was the gentle caress he smoothed against my skin and the tender kisses that calmed me further. Once I was no longer rigid as a board, he left my side for a moment and brought back something from the hearth.

It was a bottle of oil and he filled his hands with some before starting at my feet with a gentle massage that was like nothing I’d ever felt before. He murmured sweet words to me, telling me that I was beautiful and how he’d fallen in love with me the first time he saw me. Mother had told me that it was a business arrangement because of the land between his Duchy and our holding.

Peter proved her wrong on all accounts by the next morning. There was some pain when he entered me but nothing like the rape she had described. He was so big that I was sure I could never accommodate his girth but slowly and tenderly, he’d sheathed his sword deep within me. And the Lord blessed us with a child that first night. He’d hung the bloody sheet from the highest tower to signify how pleased he was with his bargain.

Every night since, we’d made love until we were both tired. But as I grew bigger, my need for his body grew, too. Agatha had said it might be so. When she was a young wife, she whispered that only daily lovemaking could satisfy her when she carried the first of her children. I was glad it was so for me since my Peter was a lusty man even though he was 35 and twenty years older than me. I was the luckiest woman in England to have such a wonderful husband. 

“How would you like me tonight, beloved wife?” His fingers were sliding in and out of me while his lips nibbled at my breasts. “Shall I come between your legs? Or shall I take you from behind? What pleases you this night?”

“You please me, sweet Peter.” I trailed my fingers down his broad chest. “It feels quite decadent to have you take me from behind now that my belly has grown so large.”

He chuckled and eased me over onto my side then up onto my knees. His fingers were still inside of me but they weren’t enough any more and I begged him prettily to sheath himself. At the first touch of his velvety soft crown, I pushed back to seat him within me.

“Dear God, you grow tighter instead of looser.” He slowly forged inside until it felt like he’d come out of my stomach. His heat branded me all along my back and thighs. His callused hands stroked over our child while he began to rock within me gently. When he began to thrust a little harder, one hand slipped to the magic spot he’d showed me that all women have and he began to massage it while still impaling me on his sword.

More, I needed more and I pushed back to get him deeper inside me, my mouth spewing out the wanton words that he loved to hear. “Fuck me, Peter. I need you to take me hard. Remind me what a shy virgin I was and how I’ve become your wife in all ways.”

********* Carson ********* 

Ned and I shared dreams these days, ever since the ancient gods had possessed us. This one was either a past life or one hell of a fantasy. He was my sweet young Elizabeth, swollen with our child. I was his Duke Peter and the luckiest husband in England to have such a beautiful wife. There was still the memory of her fear of men and what the marriage bed would entail.

Her mother, the old bitch, had scared her half to death with stories of pain and fear. I’d soothed her with wine laced with a relaxant and a warm oil massage. Most men of my time would have just thrust in, made her bleed and spilled their seed. I’d had an enlightened father who’d taught me where the secrets of a woman’s body were kept hidden. I’d made very sure that she’d experienced several rounds of pleasure before I finally sheathed myself in her tight depths.

I swear I saw stars when I came inside her. It was no fluke that our seeds combined that first night. We were well matched even though she was twenty years younger. Watching her body change to accommodate our child was a passion of mine. My first wife had been a frigid bitch who wouldn’t let me touch her once her menses ceased and we knew she was pregnant.

Her death of the plague had followed too quickly after her miscarriage of our little girl for me to feel anything but a little regret. Coming back from the memories, I smiled down at the beautiful blonde in my bed. She was everything that Margaret was not, warm, loving, eager to learn and a hell-cat in bed. I was definitely the luckiest man in England unlike my king with his cold wife and unsatisfactory sons.

“Harder, my love,” the temptress said while pushing back against me. “I want to feel that small ache all day tomorrow when my cousin visits. I want to have such a smile on my face that she will go home green with envy.”

“Little Bit, you are a very naughty wife but since you asked so sweetly,” I kissed my way up her straight spine to the nape of her neck, pushing the heavy braid to one side so I could suckle on the salty flesh usually kept hidden. I gave an extra thrust with my hips and felt her shiver. 

I liked to come when she did and it appeared that she was close so I let myself go but cautiously. I wished no harm to come to my Little Bit or our child. Soon I’d have to stop coming inside of her for fear of a miscarriage. But she’d developed a taste for my cock that bode well for my pleasure the next few months. Fingers and tongue would hopefully suffice for her.

Suddenly I seized inside of her and she gave a tiny scream into the pillow beneath her. I held onto her hips so she wouldn’t squish the child when she faltered. Slowly, I eased us over onto our sides so we could both rest. I liked being wrapped around her from behind and she’d told me that she felt safe when we slept this way. My hands stroked the curve of her gravid belly and beneath my fingers the babe moved a little. My eyes filled with tears and I kissed her temple while she sighed with repletion.

*** 

I awoke with a start. It was early and I found myself curled around Ned the same way I’d been curled around my Elizabeth. Our dreams were getting more detailed and I wondered if my subconscious was getting me ready for the pregnancies to come. Stroking my hands over his flat stomach, I chuckled a little. Perhaps in some universe, men could get pregnant. I found my possessive streak growing and thought that in that universe, I’d be quite sure to keep my Ned barefoot and pregnant.

By now, I was hard as a rock again and I tested his well-used hole to make sure he was still slick enough for me. Guiding my heavy cock to its home, I slowly pushed inside the tight channel until I was lodged balls deep. He gave a little sigh and wiggled against me. My fingers were wrapped around his reawakening cock and I began to kiss all along his sensitive hairline.

He shivered awake and his hands came to his stomach. “Wow - that was an odd one, Car. I was six months pregnant and horny as hell.” He clenched around me. “But you were wonderful, big and tender with your little duke.”

I laughed out loud. “I thought I was the king of your heart. Have I been demoted?”

He brought one of my hands up to his lips, smothering it with nipping kisses. “Never demoted but then Elizabeth was only fifteen and her vocabulary was limited. Do all women get horny when they’re pregnant?”

“Not all, sweetheart but we’ll need to be prepared to service our new wives often if they need us to.” I thrust again and started to leak a little. “I feel no older than Elizabeth at the moment. I wonder if the gods really did give us what we wished for.”

He turned his head to see me and I raised up on an elbow so he didn’t have to stretch so far. “Yes, I’m pretty sure they did. You were always highly sexed, Car but now . . . it’s like you’re insatiable and you’ve got the muscles to back it up.”

I smiled and kissed his lips softly before going back to thrusting hard. “I’ve definitely got a muscle with your name on it, sweet Ned.”

He groaned at my pun but began rippling around me. “I wonder if we’ll dream of Peter and Elizabeth again. It felt odd to be pregnant but . . . I kind of liked it. I liked knowing that your seed was growing inside of me. That I could give you that gift was the height of my ambition.

Gently biting his shoulder, I came hard and he squirted a tiny bit of fluid into my hand. We were going to have to eat well today if we were going to keep our strength up. He sighed and began to push me out. “Ah, Ned, there is nothing like your heat.”

He chuckled. “Hold that thought for the next time you need a sheath for your mighty sword.”

I licked the bite and he shivered a little. “You can help me polish my sword later.”

We were both laughing by then and almost didn’t hear the knock at our door.

“Guys, are you up? George and I are going to use the bathroom for about an hour.” Nancy’s voice came through the paneled oak.

I slid out of bed and belted my robe around me. Opening the door, I smiled at my daughter and wife. “Good morning, angels. We’ll be fine. Are we eating breakfast out among the populace?”

Nancy giggled. “Perhaps we should grace them with our presence. We’ll be the envy of the rest of the ship. The well-fucked look is a good one for all of us.”

“Quite right,” I kissed Nancy’s cheek and George kissed my lips gently before they left for the splendid bath between the two bedrooms.

When I turned back to the messy bed, Ned was sprawled across it, his hand cataloging each bite and bruise on his fair skin. His satisfied smile reminded me of how very lucky I was. Dropping the robe, I joined him on the stained sheets. We’d have to stain the sheets in the other room this afternoon. I was getting addicted to sharing a bed with all four of us. 

“Tony from the office was telling me that there’s a new size of bed called a California king.” Ned read my mind. “Maybe we should invest in a couple of them?”

I pulled him into my arms and we settled face to face, our arms around each other. “That is a sterling idea. We’ll have one in town and one at the farm. You need to design us a home with four big bedrooms then we’ll always have a place to play in or to retreat to.”

His face lit up. “Actually, I was thinking of a house with two wings so we’d each have one. The nursery would be in the middle along with the public rooms and Hannah’s suite. What do you think?”

“I love you, Ned Drew-Nickerson.” I let my forehead rest against his. “I can hardly wait to start building.”


End file.
